Fighting Desire
by Samurai Smee
Summary: SD x LA. Lars cannot deny his growing attraction to the silent Russian, using every time he got to see the mysterious fighter to try to get closer to him, needing to have his attention, needing to have those clear blue eyes cast on no one else but him.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Fighting Desire

**Chapter One**

_Lars' POV_

His movements were mesmerizing, so unbelievably graceful yet with so much raw brutality behind every blow.

His fighting stance held a semi-crouched position, rendering almost all of his attacks to originate from his broad back and shoulders.

I could tell in the way his punches look like they were pulled up from the ground, the way his kicks made his back and legs snap like springs to deliver the most crushing force possible to his unfortunate foe.

I knew his strikes well.

He was military trained, after all.

Just like me.

This man, though...

This mysterious man, who had not uttered a single word during the entire fight against kung fu master Lei Wulong, with his chin-length jet black hair kept in a half ponytail and a permanent scowl fixed upon his pale face...enraptured me immensely.

I had yet to see all of his face clearly, as I stood with all of the other fighters quite a ways behind the large, white arena, the spectators all seated and cheering and watching the huge monitors that replayed signature moves and devastating attacks between the two fighters.

The man's match with Lei Wulong had been relatively easy for him to win, as Lei's moves were quick enough but far too flashy, giving the advantage to this silent fighter, as the latter had kept low, stung hard, and then combined several moves into one seamless dance that had the Chinese male choking on his own blood.

His ruthless fighting style had drawn me into the match, kept me watching adamantly for what he was going to do next, and I found that this stunning man never disappointed me in the least.

He hardly looked winded as he stood there in his pressed, light-brown military uniform, gloved hands folded cordially behind his back as though, even though he had just fought and won another match in the King of the Iron Fist Tournament, he was ready to respond to orders.

I swallowed hard at such a cast-iron display, admittedly finding his mannerisms incredibly arousing...

"Winner is...Dragunov...!" the announcer's booming voice called for all to hear, the man's face being zoomed in closely on the monitors as he held perfectly still, looking over an unmoving Wulong for a moment as he brought a few of his fingers up to his chin, before turning on his heel and stalking away from the arena.

My eyes widened as I stared at the replay being shown over and over across the monitors, his face filling my vision at last.

A few strands of his midnight-colored mane hung across his brow and into crystal-blue eyes, almost appearing white at first glance, coupled with his straight nose and full, luscious lips, lips that I could not help but notice had a jagged scar running vertically down the whole left side until it disappeared at his chin.

I gasped at the beautiful stranger displayed before me, hardly hearing the many cheers and shouts coming from all directions of the crowd, as my gaze shamelessly drank in such majestic features that contoured this man, regal and ethereal to my eyes, as if he were not originally from this world and had been carved from somewhere better.

He seemed almost too surreal, too handsome and striking to me...yet with so much hidden inside, so many secrets all kept woefully silent behind those visible scars that were open for the world to see.

"...Sergei...Dragunov..." I spoke aloud, testing out how this deadly, gorgeous man's name sounded coming from my voice, a small, almost unnoticeable smirk playing across my lips as a result.

I already had questions for him, things I wanted to know about him and his past and his lifestyle.

I wanted to know how he got those scars on his face.

I wanted to know where he was from and what his role was in the military there.

I just wanted to know...him.

I sighed, lowering my gaze from the arena and the crowd, as I turned around and began to walk down the polished hallways of the center, listening only to the solid thudding of my boots on the tiled floor as I put more and more space between my self and the others and the commotion.

My thoughts were positively swimming inside my mind, coasting along scenarios ranging from the tiniest of notions to the utterly bizarre, every single fleeting idea occurring to me having something to do with that dark-haired deity I had just seen out there.

I needed to keep this simple, though.

If I ever wanted to get close to him, I needed to keep my wits about myself, have a plan...and most importantly, know ahead of time just what exactly I was hoping of getting out of this.

I ran a hand through my blonde spikes as I continued to ponder over such a gripping charge, a nearly blind pursuit fueled only by my unbridled fascination with this unknown man, feeling electrified by it, eager, even.

I smirked again at my rampant thoughts but lifted my gaze directly ahead of me as movement caught my peripheral vision.

There he was, just like how I had internally wished him to be within the small space it took me to focus my gaze, in all his proud strength and alluring silence...all his radiating sensuality that seemed so effortless...

Dragunov.

His broad, strong back was to me, and I watched as he pulled his glove back on his hand, flexing his fingers a bit, before rotating his wrist.

All of my predetermined planning on how to handle my growing obsession with him completely eluded me, all of my logic, as I could only stare at his straight, black hair partially tied up, his tall, commanding stature, and the width of his shoulders.

Sergei Dragunov was a man that exuded power, everything about his statuesque appearance and posture making it known to anyone who cared to look his way that he was a highly-trained fighter, trained well enough to kill, and I was rendered speechless a second time tonight.

Sergei stretched his wrist one more time before lowering his hand to his side and striding down the large corridor once again, probably to exit this facility and head out to the hotel located only a few blocks away where we were all staying at for the tournament.

Upon seeing him walk away, his confidence nearly crippling for others to watch, I licked my dry lips, beginning to hear my own thoughts again and get back in touch with the surrounding world.

"...what have I got to lose...it'll just be...two competitors in the tournament...getting to know each other..." I said to myself in a sort of preamble to my thoughts that readily agreed with me to follow Dragunov and try to speak with him.

Anything would do.

His presence alone had been enough to stir feelings long-since forgotten inside of me, but if I were to have those eyes...those sky-blue eyes cast directly on me...

I shuddered in anticipation where I stood before hurriedly marching in the same direction Sergei had just ventured, finally feeling ready to approach him, to begin getting him to warm up to me, and hopefully, letting me own a small chunk of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Lars' POV_

"Just be normal...act normal...there isn't even anything to freak out about...just play it cool," I instructed myself quietly, having already stalked Dragunov across several downtown streets until we reached the sky-scraping hotel, constructed of nearly translucent blue-green glass as if the hotel was made up of the very afternoon sky itself.

Evening, however, had already set in, coating the busy city in a decadent black satin that shone with all of the surrounding neon signs and lamps, making the downtown nightlife a bright, sparkling gem to behold as I rushed inside the hotel owned by Mishima Zaibatsu and approached the front desk.

I knew I would be recognized by the staff here, men and woman all dressed immaculately despite the late night hour, as I strode confidently across the marble floor to the solid oak desk placed in the center of the grand lobby.

"Yes, Mister Alexandersson. Is there anything I can help you with?" the lady behind the oval-shaped desk asked me, courteously grinning at me from behind her square-framed glasses and tight pony-tail kept off of her shoulders.

"The man that came in here before me...he dropped this outside," I lied creatively, holding up my own wallet so that she would mistake it for Sergei's as I continued my tale, "...can you tell me his room number so I can give it to him?"

"Oh! Of course," the woman seemed a bit surprised before ducking down a bit towards her hidden computer, typing away for a few seconds before lifting her head back up to me, "...Mister Sergei Dragunov is in room 2205."

His room was right down the hall from my own, and I quickly schooled the smirk that wanted to curve my lips at such a realization.

"Thank you; I appreciate your help," I responded to the female worker before hurrying past the desk and towards the rear elevators, their wooden finish trimmed well in a black granite that spanned the walls, highlighted in corners and amongst deep grooves with a brilliant gold.

The elevators doors opened, allowing me to enter the red-carpeted space, and it was only after the doors closed and the lift began to move upwards that I let out the air I had unintentionally been holding.

I remained quiet, not even wanting to voice my racing thoughts aloud as I deftly replaced my wallet in the back pocket of my white pants, anxious beyond words...and perhaps a little terrified.

"...I'm not this bad off before a match..." I said as I rolled my eyes at myself, finding that being able to chuckle lightly at my own situation substantially helped my flip-flopping stomach.

My time for reprieve was short-lived, however, for the elevator chimed my arrival in the next moment, opening the doors and allowing me to stroll down the same beige, dimly illuminated, white-trimmed corridor I would have taken to go to my own room.

My blue eyes hurriedly darted to the silver illuminated numbers on the wall beside the doors, narrowing them down until I saw the one that made my chest tighten and my palms start to sweat inside my red gloves.

"_...no going back now...I mean, I could...my door is right there..."_ I spoke to myself one last time, standing in front of 2205 and merely peering at the painted wood grain before me, flickering my gaze to my right as I saw my own room just down the way, _"...no...that is not an option...I'm going through with this. God, why am I so nervous..."_

After enough mental berating, I took a deep breath and lifted my fist to knock on the door, shoving my warring thoughts aside as I briefly shifted my weight on my feet, trying to feel more comfortable in my stance on the pliant crimson carpet as I waited.

I licked my lips, deciding to fold my hands behind my back to appear as less threatening as possible, plus it made me stand up straighter, and my eyes snapped to attention the instant I saw the door begin to open.

Sergei Dragunov slowly opened the door, a subtle look of confusion on his handsome, picturesque face, and I immediately felt my mouth go dry as I mindlessly dropped my hands from behind my back to my sides, feeling my better wits leave me and I could not help but draw a blank for a solid moment so I could take all of him in now that we were so close to each other.

The tall, dark-haired male had his brown jacket unbuttoned and opened, his red tie hanging loosely down either side of his broad chest, as he had the first few buttons of his white dress shirt underneath undone, the man clearly having been in the process of getting undressed whence I had knocked on his door.

I had definitely not been prepared to be met with such a carelessly sexy sight, my eyes glazing over a bit despite my fleeting shock, as I drank in even the smallest of details of the quiet, powerful man before me, noticing for the first time that there was also a tiny scar running horizontally across the bridge of his nose.

For some unexplainable reason, all of the scars on his face just made him seem more outrageously handsome to my eyes, made him seem like the danger he was...and it was absolutely willingly that I lost myself in such a revelation.

"...I...I uh...I'm sorry to disturb you like this...but um..." my mouth struggled to voice what my mind was practically screaming at me to say to Dragunov, my cobalt eyes lowering from his beautiful, stoic face for a moment while I tried to gather something pliable to say, "...I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed watching your match today. It was...quite impressive."

I lifted my gaze back up to his features, a gasp nearly escaping me upon seeing Sergei studying me closely with a barely-there smirk on his frozen-rose lips, a thin eyebrow lifting up in as much inquisition as polite amusement of my ramblings, and I found myself practically jittery to hear his response.

One gloved hand still holding onto the door, Sergei let his ice-colored eyes look over either of my shoulders before resting on my face once again, the silent male obviously looking to see if anyone else had accompanied me here, to sniff out any tricks I may have been trying to pull on him.

He would find none here, though.

I just genuinely wanted to see him.

All of it happening at once, a fuller grin curved Sergei's scarred, tempting lips at me, his glowing eyes becoming exponentially warmer as they held my gaze, as he nodded his head at me a few times in understanding and gratitude of my words.

And with that, Sergei began to turn back towards his room, using his hand on the door to close it just as slowly as he had opened it...and I suddenly internally panicked, not yet ready to be apart from him so soon.

"Wait...um...you might want to get your wrist checked out. It looked like you injured it earlier," I just about blurted out to him, Sergei snapping his slightly widened gaze to me from over his shoulder upon hearing my advice and evident observation of him.

"Have a good night, sir," I said with a bow of my blonde, spiky head to him, unable to bear those piercing eyes, that piercing aura of his, for a second longer without risking at least some of my sanity and possibly attempting something that would most likely get me killed by him, and I quickly walked away.

I had to clear my head, I had to contain my rapid heart beat; the rate of my vital signs showing more like I had just been through intense combat and had not only just spoken to a human being.

"_...but...damn...what a human being he is...definitely the most gorgeous man I have ever seen...definitely the most intriguing...sexy as hell..."_ my thoughts made perfect sense even though they formed and reformed at one hundred miles per second, my steps slowing down as I came to my own hotel room door.

I automatically retrieved my entry card from my pocket to unlock the door, my train of thought hitting a solid decision despite their muddled nature, a type of steadfast idea occurring to me to which I easily agreed.

My aquamarine eyes narrowed from behind my angled, blonde bangs as I opened my door, a ghost of a smirk playing across my lips, as I amended that I had to start finding out information about Sergei from the other fighters as soon as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Lars' POV_

Two days later...

"I think he's a vampire, especially with the way he never talks to anyone...it's creepy," said the ever-quirky Anna Williams to me whence I had stopped to talk to her about the lone dark-haired male that filled my thoughts and occupied the majority of my dreams.

"I know he is from Russia...that much I do know about him," Hwoarang, the spunky Korean with blazing red hair, had informed me at another time that day.

"I heard that he's a Russian spy, sent over from some top secret military group to keep an eye on all of us," Bryan Fury disclosed to me, his information about Sergei Dragunov appearing to be a little more thought out and researched than that of the others, and I had listened intently to the gruff, former officer whilst we had spoken.

My head swam with all the snippets of facts I had collected throughout the passed couple of days about him, though I still only had a few answers to my questions.

"_I wonder why he doesn't speak...maybe he doesn't know that much English...?"_ I continued to ponder the Russian beauty over inside my mind as I walked to the in-house gym located on the seventh floor of the facility, my fingers adjusting the scarlet gloves on my hands.

"_...what if he really is a vampire..."_ my latest thought made me chuckle to myself as I directed my gaze from my hands to out ahead of me, knowing that I was approaching the expansive training quarters located inside the hotel.

Crystal-clear glass walls lined the inner-rooms that constructed the gym kept separated from the outer walkways and corridors, letting anyone who passed by see the state-of-the-art equipment and ample exercise areas that would comfortably accommodate a few hundred people, I surmised.

I entered inside the glass doors, immediately feeling the temperature difference as these rooms were kept a little cooler than the rest of building, and began navigating towards the rooms to the back of the area where the floor-mats, punching bags, and free weights were kept.

"Hey, Lars...how's it going?" asked Nina Williams off to my right, the older of the Williams sisters, clad in purple yoga pants and a form-fitting white halter top, was currently performing a variety of stretches in front of the vast expanse of mirrors that lined various walls of the conjoined rooms, her bright blonde hair kept in her usual high ponytail.

"Good enough, I suppose, " I answered her question with a bit of my light sarcasm, as I watched her stop her actions so she may turn to face me directly, her eyes were hard and wise as she steadied her gaze on mine.

"Look...it's getting around that you've been asking about that Dragunov guy..." Nina began, her Irish accent coming out the more she spoke so personally with me, the both us standing relatively close to one another in order to keep our conversation just between us and no one else, "...this might just be my opinion, but I think you should stay away from him."

I furrowed my brows, appreciating but not particularly liking her bluntness at the moment, as I questioned, "Why? What do you know that I don't...?"

Nina cast her eyes from left to right for a second before landing right back on my waiting gaze, the female assassin having to make sure that what she was to say next would be for my ears only, it seemed.

"He's dangerous. The rest of us stay away from him. He's called the "White Angel of Death" where he's from. I'm only telling you this because you're new here...but, that man is most definitely not here just to compete in the tournament," Nina spoke solidly, her eyes piercing my own, as I could practically feel my gut rejecting every one of her words, feeling physical pain because of them.

"What is that supposed to mean? What else could he be here for?" I instantly shot back to her but in a hushed tone, knowing that she knew more than what she had originally disclosed to me.

This question seemed to put the blonde female on edge, as she crossed her arms over her chest and fixed me with an even colder, more serious glare.

"Lars, now listen to me and listen to me well. Sergei Dragunov is a member of Spetsnaz, an elite arm of Russian military that specializes in the jobs other agencies can't...or won't handle. With a profile like that, it's more than likely that he has been ordered to kill Jin or at least destroy the company," Nina confided such detailed information to me, information that, admittedly, took me by complete surprise and left me temporarily stunned.

I was rendered beyond speechless that Dragunov was a part of a faction so ruthless and deadly.

His training had to have been brutal at best.

What kind of life...had this man been living all this time...?

And what if that was his real reason for being here...to kill Jin Kazama and dismantle his organization...?

I felt my questions for Sergei double on account of hearing Nina's thoughts, my infatuation increasing exponentially, as the female's words of warning had just as better served as more reasons for me to try to get to know this man.

"Nina, I appreciate you telling me this, but there's nothing to worry about," I tried my best to smooth over the blonde woman's apprehensions about my wishing to know about Sergei; my words carefully formulated to make it seem like I was only curious about him and nothing more, nothing that would even come close to my secret drive to worm my way into Sergei's life on a much more intimate level, "...I'm just wanting to get some insight on the competition. I know better than to get too close."

"Well, be sure you tell him that; he's right behind you," Nina at least had the good graces not to shout such a startling sentence to me, as her voice was kept calm and quiet, allowing our conversation about him not to be found out indefinitely as I followed her eyes and turned around in my place.

Scarred, pale skin rippled with hard-earned muscle met my eyes, followed by narrowed ice-blue eyes and midnight-colored tresses partially tied back.

I swallowed hard but forced my nerves not to jump out of control, as I merely watched as Sergei delivered punch after punch to the large, red punching beg in front of him, his black fatigue pants fitting him better than perfectly as he maintained his usual low stance.

The metal chains suspending the heavy bag creaked under the strain of so much impact as I could tell that Sergei's mighty punches were nothing short of absolutely devastating, tiny puffs of air escaping his parted, luscious lips as he breathed along with his strikes.

"I guess I'll leave you to...how did you put it...'get some insight,' Lars...see you around," Nina spoke with a smile evident in her tone to me as she clasped a hand on my shoulder before walking away, effectively leaving me to gawk at the Russian fighter by myself.

I mildly cleared my throat to alert my presence, and stepped up to the other side of the punching bag, grasping it in both hands to hold it steady for Sergei.

Electric blue caught my much darker cobalt gaze, Sergei smirking briefly at me, perhaps in a form of greeting as well as thanks for holding the weighted punching bag for him, before the Russian officer began knocking blow after blow to the unfortunate bag of sand.

My arms jerked a little from the force of his punches, my ears keenly listening to Sergei's mellow intakes of air, and I quickly licked my lips before speaking to him for the first time today.

"So...you're from Russia...?" I could have kicked myself for starting out with something so trivial, but was instantly glad I had asked such a lame question whence I saw Sergei's features dart to mine again, his lips parted wider since he was exerting so much energy, and he nodded to indicate the positive.

"I've never been there...I heard it's beautiful, though..." I added truthfully, my eyes glued to his features from around the bag, watching with far more intent than appropriate as Dragunov looked like he soundlessly chuckled at my comment, his smirk turning serious once more as he gained more and more momentum on the bag.

"What's your rank in the military?" I asked, genuinely curious about his answer to this one, but immediately regretted asking it as Sergei suddenly stopped hitting the punching bag and stood up straight from his fighting position, thoughts instantaneously occurring to me that this definitely had possibilities of being a very sore subject to him.

"I'm sorry...you don't have to answer..." I began rambling off an apology as I also stood straighter, my gaze fixed on his own whilst I spoke, but only to have my words cut off as Sergei lifted up one of his tape-wrapped hands.

Calmly and simply, I watched as Sergei tapped two fingers against his opposite forearm a total of four times, my mind already whirling with possible answers to his riddle.

"...hmm...you're a commander...?" I asked aloud, trying to think of all the variations of stars and stripes of decorated officers which might tie together the answer to my own question.

My question received another gentle smirk to curve Sergei's scarred, lovely lips, his eyes blinking patiently as he coolly shook his dark head to indicate the negative.

"Four...you're a...are you a...four-star general?" I asked at once, my eyes widening the moment my brain put it all together, only to have it all confirmed by Sergei nodding positively at my question.

"Holy shit..." I blurted out again, making the Russian's half-grin even broader across his ethereal features as he watched me closely with those beautiful eyes of his, eyes that seemed like they were reading my very soul at the moment as I stood in front of him.

"I guess that would explain the scars...some of those look like you've been through hell," I continued to speak my thoughts aloud, surprisingly finding such a task easier and easier to do around him, as I let my gaze trail over his impressive body once more, taking in the various lines and crosses of repaired flesh that decorated his chest, torso and arms.

Without truly thinking my actions through, my eyes being momentarily unable to move away from some of the more vicious-looking scars on Sergei's exposed flesh, I stepped closer to the Russian, one of my hands automatically lifting up as I closed the distance between us.

Gently and with infinite care as if this man was made out of glass and would shatter should I be even a shade firmer with him, I let a few of my fingertips trace over one particularly deep scar that marred Sergei's toned abdomen.

My gaze snapped up to Sergei's face the moment I heard his breath catch, the dark-haired male staring down at me with surprised, pale eyes, as he silently studied my face, unasked questions dripping from his parted lips.

I could not look away from Dragunov's mesmerizing features, drinking them in one at a time, as I registered how much unexplained want there was behind Sergei's evident shock at being touched so gingerly like this, like such an act was definitely not something he was used to.

I would gladly remedy that, if he would let me.

After administering one last, lingering graze from my fingertips down his abdomen, I took a step back from him, knowing that he was now thinking differently of me, or, just as well, not knowing what to think at all.

I knew I needed to give him time to discern my actions.

"I'd love to hear some of your stories sometime, Sergei;" I spoke to the quiet Russian before me, purposefully using his first name, as I decided to close our encounter with something that would have him coming back to me, needing clarification and his own questions answered at last, "...I...think you're fascinating."

I smirked and lowered my eyes at the way Sergei's thin eyebrows shot up from my last statement, just like how I had wanted, as I turned on my heel and strode out of the facility, feeling absolutely exhilarated with the way I had surprised someone so stoic and wonderful, feeling emboldened with the way I was able to place even a shred of curiosity within him, as I felt his eyes on me the entire way out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Lars' POV_

Four nights later...

I expertly delivered a crushing uppercut to the female fighter's chin, making her dark head fly backwards as more blood trickled out of her mouth, making her whole torso open to a finishing blow of my choosing.

Standing up straight from completing my uppercut, I staggered my weight and hopped onto one foot, a growl escaping me as I thrust my opposite leg out, slamming my foot into her stomach which was met with a sickening gurgle spewing forth from her crimson-stained lips.

I watched with narrowed, fire-laden eyes as she toppled hard onto the unforgiving asphalt, my fists still being held at the ready.

"Winner is...Lars...!" the announcer had to call over the roar of the many people crowded together on the cleared rooftop of the Mishima corporate building, the match having taken place right over the helicopter landing circle.

The nighttime was brisk, almost chilly, but I felt none of it as I breathed hard and brought up a gloved hand to my brow to wipe away the sweat cooling on my skin; my ears, though, were listening appreciatively to the many cheers of my name as I had turned out to be the victor.

The match had been close in the first round, as the middle-Eastern woman Zafina had surprised me with her uncanny flexibility and long-ranged attacks, prompting me to utilize my quick dashes to locate her blind spots and strike there.

Her fighting style had been interesting to figure out, containing a myriad of high and low maneuvers, all looking like poses for traditional artwork, but she had obviously not prepared for my insane speed, my ability to deliver powerful attacks one right after another as if my opponents were standing totally still.

Not too many people were left to compete in the King of Iron Fist Tournament, and even now as I relished in the ecstasy of my victory and ultimate advancement, I wondered if and when I would have to fight Sergei Dragunov.

The thought sent shivers down my spine, but...

What a magnificent battle that would be, though...full of his intense looks where I would have no choice but to figure out his movements, having to analyze his body closely.

A few tournament officials, clad in coal-black suits and sidearms on their hips, rushed over to Zafina to help the groaning woman to her feet so they may bring her to the medical wing inside the facility, their movements catching my gaze but only for a fleeting moment, for a most peculiar sound met my ears.

My sapphire eyes scanned the thinning crowd before landing on one such pale-eyed military man, my silent Russian, my living, breathing obsession, as he stood quite far away from me and was slowly clapping his gloved hands with a light smirk gracing his features.

I smiled broadly, unable to help the reaction of seeing him look so pleased with me, before I rushed over to him, being careful not to bump into anyone, as I could not take my eyes away from his immaculate brown uniform and commanding stature that seemed to make everyone else surrounding us blur away into nothingness.

"...hi..." I said upon approaching him, my breath still needing to be caught, as I blinked affectionately at his smirking, scarred features, Sergei looking breathtaking surrounded by the ink of night, as he almost glowed with his otherworldly beauty.

Sergei's smile grew across his face while I evened out my breathing, before he licked his lips, mimicked that he was tipping something up to his mouth, and then placed his hand flat on his chest, his eyes blinking meaningfully before resting on my face once more.

Oddly enough, I understood exactly what Sergei had just offered me, and I could hardly contain my glee as I responded.

"Yes, I would love to have a drink with you; thank you..." I beamed at the Russian, watching as his simple smirk turned into a lovely smile, displaying his perfect white teeth, before he turned towards the doorway to his left, prompting me to follow him.

"Lead the way," I said happily, more than ecstatic that I was about to have a few drinks with the mysterious man no one else dared to befriend, a large part of me genuinely wanting to reach out and wrap my hand around his strong arm whilst we walked together, just to show everyone that he was mine.

X

The bar located on the first floor of the hotel was sophisticated and striking to behold, consisting of rich mahogany walls and tables, scarlet light fixtures overhead, and black furniture, keeping the ambiance solemn, classy, and peaceful for the nicely dressed patrons seated here and there.

Sergei and I sat at the bar, my eyes hardly leaving his form as I felt I needed to be tuned into him at all times, as if I might miss even the slightest of expressions from him if I did not.

The rotund barkeep was already moving over to us, and, with militant, precise gestures, Sergei locked eyes with the balding man as he pointed to a bottle of whiskey on one of the glass shelves behind the bar and then held up two fingers.

"...you got it," the barkeep stated after retrieving the bottle Sergei had wordlessly indicated, and I had to admit that I was impressed with the Russian's tactics for completing such a seemingly simple task without using his words.

"I'm glad you invited me out for a drink...I could really use one right now," I chuckled somewhat darkly, resting my arms on the polished surface of the bar as I began to peel my gloves off of my hands, my exhaustion from the match still evident in my posture.

Sergei's nearly colorless eyes watched me from the side whilst I had spoken, but snapped back in front again as the barkeep set down two highball glasses filled with a moderate serving of the expensive alcohol my mute companion had ordered.

We both picked up our glasses, me turning more towards Sergei on my bar stool, as I lifted my glinting sapphire gaze to his much paler one, knowing that it would be up to be to announce our cheers.

"...hmm...I'm pretty terrible at these...let's see..." I stalled for a moment so I may think of a good cause to toast, but my mind faltered terribly upon seeing Dragunov smirk, clearly amused with me, as he waited patiently for me to finish.

My answer came easy upon seeing his beautiful features trained so keenly upon my own, his watercolor eyes fixed on no one else but me, and I felt an awesome wave of calm softly envelope me.

"To making new friends in rough places...finding someone special in a goddamn hailstorm," I concluded our toast with another laugh, my comment also making Sergei's smirk turn in to a full smile as he and I clinked our glasses together and then brought them to our lips.

I intentionally stopped breathing through my nose so that I would not smell such strong alcohol before letting it slide over my tongue and hurriedly gulp it down my throat, the burn only being mild as it was obviously an extremely high grade of liquor and I found that I actually liked the brazen, spicy taste.

I swirled the remaining alcohol around in my glass, not fully noticing that Sergei had already finished his drink and was ordering another round for us with another silent signal to the bartender.

I threw back the last of my first drink and licked my lips before turning my attention back to the pallid, scarred Russian next to me, watching him watch me for a solid minute, before he lowered his eyes and clasped both of his large hands around his newly refilled drink.

"Here, son," the barkeep standing right in front of me announced to me, breaking me from my wandering reverie of simply marveling at Dragunov, as I felt like my head turned to face him before my vision could catch up as he tipped over the same bottle and poured another generous amount of the glowing amber liquid for me.

"...thanks," I muttered lamely to his already retreating back, before wrapping my fingers around the smooth, somewhat cool glass and sliding it closer to me.

"So...I'm sure you know by now that I've been asking the others about you..." I confessed as if it was absolutely the most well-versed subject in the world to talk about, the exceedingly potent alcohol having loosened up my tongue.

His glowing eyes still lowered to the bar out ahead of us both, Sergei merely nodded at my prompting words, the Russian then lifting his drink up and easily gulping down the fiery substance as if it were water while I spoke.

"...yeah...people say the weirdest shit sometimes...did you know that one person I talked to thought you were a vampire...?" I blurted out, chuckling already at such foolishness, but my laughter doubled in merriment upon seeing Sergei's eyes go wide, his delicate eyebrows furrowing as he fixed me with a blatantly flabbergasted stare.

Sergei huffed a little as he dropped his shocked expression, eyes lowering from mine in a thoughtful pose, as he ran his fingers over the small glass in between his palms, prompting me to sip more of my drink, as I smiled at the way he smiled.

"Even if you were...you'd be the most beautiful vampire I've ever seen," I said awkwardly, obviously letting the booze get to me as I found myself leaning more of my weight against the edge of the bar, needing the support.

Another soundless chuckle from him, followed by his steady, entrancing eyes fixing themselves on me, as Sergei appeared just as cool and calm as he had whence we had first arrived here, a stark contrast to my rambling, smiling self by his side.

Not needing to be instructed again by the Russian, the bartender automatically appeared in front of us and wordlessly refilled our drinks for a third time, but stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing Sergei tap two of his fingers against the top of the bar whilst he stared daggers at him.

I understood right away that Sergei was cutting me off from a fourth round of this liquor, which was probably wise, as I had already opened my mouth to speak again.

"So...I know...a little bit about the organization you're a part of...Spetsnaz," I declared in what I hoped sounded like I was trying to make conversation and not hold an interrogation with him, and even with the alcohol flowing freely in my system, I did not miss the way Sergei's translucent eyes seemed to dull a shade as he lowered them to his glass, "...I'd like to hear about it, if you don't mind...?"

Sergei brought his drink to his lips, his eyes looking out ahead of him, as he seemed to need another swallow of the amber liquid, before his ran his tongue along the front of his teeth in what appeared to be a process of deep thought, and then nodded somberly to my request.

My eyes widened at his agreement to answer my personal questions of his place in the war-crazed militia of Russia, and I hurried my pleasantly floating mind to come up with that I wanted to know most.

"Do you...have you ever had to carry out assassination missions...?" I asked timidly, not really knowing which sorts of questions and topics were off-limits as I fingered my glass and stared intently at his handsome profile.

Sergei nodded to indicate the positive before gulping down the last of his liquor and setting down the glass with a solid clink, my hearing just barely catching the way Dragunov exhaled out of his mouth upon doing so.

"Is that why you have...the nickname that you do?" I asked, unwilling to state the actual words to him as I knew it had to have been a rough subject to hear so offhandedly.

Sergei drew his lips into his mouth, wetting them over with his tongue, as he, once again, nodded slowly to answer my question.

"Jesus..." I breathed, far too inebriated to check my honest shock upon hearing such information, already able to surmise that Sergei Dragunov had to have killed countless people in order to have obtained the frightening label of 'The White Angel of Death' in his homeland.

My whispered word made Sergei turn to face me directly, a few of his black tresses hanging loose from his ponytail and framing his god-like face as he held the look of a man in need of some justification, like he craved for me to say that I did not mind such horrifying facts about him.

My thoughts plain and simply not occurring clearly enough to me, I boldly lifted up a hand to his porcelain face, letting my fingers glide over his alabaster skin until I was able to cradle his jaw against my palm.

"You don't have to look so worried, Sergei..." I spoke surprisingly firmly with him, watching with a gentle grin as the Russian's sky blue eyes widened slightly at my words, all the while I stroked the pad of my thumb across the jagged scar that cut into his lips and ran down his chin, "...it's just one of the many reasons I feel so...drawn to you."

I could hardly believe how close we were to one another right now, his skin impossibly soft against my roughened hand, his eyes even more intense as they peered right into mine across the short distance between us, and I was amazed in how I still felt so calm.

Maybe I had found the trick after all.

Maybe all I needed to do was show him a little control, show him how two people connect, and I could finally have everything I wanted with him and more.

Maybe...he just needed to be shown how...

My thoughts were jumbled yet engaging as I slowly slid my hand away from his handsome face, purposefully leaving lingering touches to his sharp jaw line, as I unconsciously licked my lips.

Sergei seemed too stunned to move away at first, his eyes tracing over my features, searching relentlessly for any signs of falsehood, anything that might make my words seems less than the proclamation they truly were.

"I think we should head up to my room..." I spoke suddenly, my speech somewhat slurring a bit as I grimaced at myself, my current condition.

Sergei slightly tilted his dark head to a side, his eyes questioning me at once, as he lifted up a thin, black eyebrow at me, no doubt over-thinking my relatively simple statement.

"Not...I didn't mean...it's just that the room is spinning..." I admitted with a breathless smirk, watching as Sergei opened his mouth as if to say 'ah' as I finally made my intentions clear to him.

Smirking his devilishly attractive smirk with those full, pouty lips at me, Sergei rose first from his bar stool and carefully helped me off of my own, my weight quickly feeling as if it had tripled as I staggered a bit on my feet.

Huge, marble-sculpt arms were around me in an instant, steadied me when I had been sure to fall, and I automatically closed my eyes and sank deeper into the warm, encompassing security that was Sergei's iron embrace.

I melted against Sergei's wide chest, my blonde spikes only reaching his chin as I pressed my cheek and nose affectionately into the Russian's collarbone, inhaling his rich, rain-kissed scent, relishing in the feel of his durable military jacket against my face and hands.

I unknowingly hummed low in my throat, a sound of utter contentedness and serenity, as I relaxed my frame against his much larger one, more than ready to fall asleep right here standing against him...

Just then, I felt a light tug on my black sleeve, prompting me to open my eyes and lift my head up from Sergei's rigid chest, only to met with kind, soothing eyes, eyes that both had the power to excite something unimaginable within me or to bring me effortless peace and the sensation that I was finally doing something worthwhile in this life.

Sergei nobly closed his eyes and nodded his head once, his hands gently prying my shoulders away from him, as he navigated the two of us back towards the elevators, one of his hands still holding onto my arm to keep me balanced.

I said nothing for my drowsiness was vastly overtaking my desire to carry on our conversation, as Sergei called the elevator and then the two of us stepped inside the ornate compartment, turning around to face the polished doors, and it was only then that Sergei removed his hand from me, instead choosing to fold his gloved hands behind his back while we ascended the floors.

My intoxicated body had otherwise in mind, however, as the slightest ruffle in the elevator's smooth path had me tipping over, the ever-alert and agile Russian fluidly catching me once again, his hands on my shoulders as he peered down at me with almost desperation in his milky eyes.

"Sergei...you only have to..." I began to say to the calm, black-haired male before the elevator chirped to signal out arrival, the doors parting at once.

This time with his hands maintaining their constant hold on me, Sergei lead me down the plush corridor until we reached my room.

My head was lowered, my eyes were closed as sleep was rushing fast upon me, and I was only half-way conscious enough to notice that Sergei was checking my pockets for my key card, first my breast pocket on my shirt, then my two front pockets on my white pants.

No key card was found.

I distinctly heard the Russian sigh, as if some decision had been made, before the two of us were abruptly steered away from my door and towards another direction.

I could do nothing but follow after him, stepping where he wanted me to step, as I was suddenly made to sit down on a large, cloud-like bed that bounced a little under my weight.

My drunken senses took completely over as I automatically lain down upon the pliant mattress, needing to be in such a position with how unbelievably exhausted I was.

I did not notice that my shoes had been taken off at some point.

I did not notice the faucet running briefly in the other room.

I did not notice it when Sergei Dragunov slid onto the bed next to me a while later, his body not touching mine but his presence was more than enough for me to sleep even more soundly that night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_Lars' POV_

The next morning...

Oh, already...I felt a mild headache zinging behind my right eye, as I remain motionless where I lie, wincing silently at the rays of sunlight stabbed through the closed curtains not too far away from me.

I realized that I had definitely had worse migraines, but this, as well as my time in the military, was the very reason I did not drink often.

Opening my hurting eyes and turning my head slightly to the left, I spotted a tall glass of water and two small tablets sitting on top of the cherry wood nightstand.

"...mmn...thank God..." I murmured to myself, gingerly sitting up and bringing a hand to scrub up and down my face, before I opened my eyes and looked over at the water again.

Slouching a bit where I sat, I groggily reached over and retrieved the two pills, popping them into my mouth without hesitation, and then grabbed the glass of water.

I greedily drank the water, already feeling a small amount better now that I did not have such a dry throat, and I had to catch my breath upon finishing the glass.

The medicine now taken and my drowsiness beginning to naturally subside, I directed my gaze to my right, towards the windows and the other side of the bed, almost letting the glass slip from my hands at the sight that filled my vision.

Lying on his stomach, dressed in a short sleeved black tee shirt and dark grey pajama pants, Sergei slept peacefully next to me, his arms tucked underneath a couple of the massive pillows that topped the mattress as he had his face turned away from me.

"...shit..." I cursed breathlessly, still gaping at his snoozing, comfortable form, completely forgetting my headache, as I took in his huge shoulders and scarred arms, a truly enticing image of black against white and I felt mystified in an instant.

Sergei's sleek, onyx hair was loose from its tie, as it was splayed this way and that across the beige pillows, perfectly matching the midnight black of his simple shirt, and I could not help the way I was being physically drawn to him as I slowly leaned over his form, my eyes watching the way the middle of his back rose and fell with every breath he took.

I gingerly reached a hand towards his shoulder, my eyes trained on his striking profile, his closed eyes and visible scars on his unmoving lips, and I let out the air I had been unintentionally holding upon feeling my fingers glide over his hard muscles at last.

Not entirely sure about what I was even doing, I trailed my hand over the solid curve of his shoulder, letting only my fingers gently grace the back of his neck, until I could carefully brush some of his silken locks of ink-colored hair out of his face.

I trembled slightly upon feeling just how soft Sergei's hair truly was, as I used a few of my fingers to comb the strands out of his face and mix in with the rest that lie haphazardly across the pillow, and it was only after I had done so that I saw the handsome Russian male begin to stir to consciousness.

I quickly pulled my hands away from him as Sergei appeared to be waking up, his face turning more into the pillow as he flexed his arms underneath, not uttering a sound except for the extra intake of air through his nose upon first coming to.

"...uh...good morning..." I murmured lamely, watching as he blinked open those lovely ice-blue eyes of his and then directed them at me, his lingering tiredness making him look hauntingly sexy, like he had just been thoroughly ravaged and was in need of much more, and I had to swallow hard at such a forbidden sight.

Sergei cast me a weak smirk before shuffling to sit up from his lying position, the Russian still a bit groggy as his movements were charmingly sluggish, his chin-length hair framing his face and hanging down freely, a few dark strands touching his cheeks and brow, as he closed his eyes and moved his tongue around the inside of his mouth.

"...thanks for letting me stay here last night...and the water..." I attempted to voice my gratitude to him even though I still felt tremendously spellbound by how utterly human Dragunov appeared right now, swinging my legs over the edge of the mattress as I watched as he tiredly stood up as well, his eyes barely open as he took a few steps but then stopped to stretch his heavily-muscled arms.

I quickly got to my feet, hurrying to stand in front of him before he got too far away, his drowsiness somehow giving me the courage to do something unexpected, something I would not have normally done, as I slowly slid my hands up either of his toned forearms, peering up at him with my intentions written clearly in my half-lidded cobalt eyes and shallow breaths.

Sergei fixed his cool gaze on me immediately, his movements ceasing as he merely watched my face as I drew my hands higher and higher along his arms, feeling braver than I had ever felt, feeling like I had somehow obtained this right and that the moment was practically begging for this to happen.

Rose-colored lips parted ever-so slightly as I stood on my toes and carded my fingers through his jet black hair, pushing the loose, satin strands back as I brought us closer together, my own sapphire eyes lowering to his mouth, and I could see that Dragunov finally understood exactly what I was asking of him, what I wanted to do to him.

Before he had time to think of another plan of action, I pressed our lips together, his velvet warmth encompassing all of me at once, as I purred against his luscious mouth straight away, my hands squeezing unconsciously at his thick biceps as I finally felt something buried deep inside of me burst with vigorous energy, a renewed life, and painstaking need.

I could feel Sergei still under my hands in initial shock, before he felt me hum appreciatively against his scarred mouth and then gradually relaxed into our kiss, accepting everything I was giving to him at this moment, as he slowly but soundly caressed my lips with his own, parting his lips only for a fraction of a second so he may nip playfully at mine and draw me into him again.

Like my newly rekindled exuberance having had just been fortified by that which it was created for, I purred against Sergei's exquisite mouth again, able to draw a magnificent peace as well as blood-rushing lust from those naturally pouty lips of his that graciously accepted and reciprocated my advances over and over, our movements being extremely careful as we needed to learn each other and take our time savoring everything that this was.

I watched with my dreamy, nearly blurring gaze as Sergei serenely closed his beautiful eyes, his bare hands sliding up my clothed back, rumpling up the fabric of my long-sleeved shirt a bit, as he kissed me with such reserved passion, a tender promise of things to come as his lips chastely moved against my own, creating positively brilliant fireworks to course throughout my body and mind.

I felt like I had taken a significant step inside Sergei's life, claiming my own part in it that no one else would be able to touch.

I felt like I had taken a significant step in my own life...finally diving into something worthwhile and exciting in which I did not know the outcome, only how insatiably good it felt.

I could have wept with joy from just how mindful the silent Russian was being with me right now, how sacred this moment was between us, because I knew without a doubt that Sergei Dragunov would now knew better than any of my words could have expressed just how strongly I felt about him.

I could have wept at how grateful I was, at the delicious euphoria Sergei's full lips ushered in for me to experience with every delicate push against my own, like I was being driven into a wonderful madness willingly and happily.

With just the tips of his powder-soft lips touching my own, Sergei ended our sweet kiss, his hands holding onto my sides while my own gripped onto the collar of his shirt, needing more, needing everything, and I was amazed once again as the black-haired male opened those pale eyes of his for me.

He looked gorgeous beyond words with his lips parted and his breath coming in quick pants, his naturally half-lidded gaze appearing almost white against white with just the black of his pupils peering right into me, while he and I just basked in the intoxicating sensations of a delicate intimacy growing between the two of us.

"I'm...I'm sorry...it's just that...I've been wanting to do that for a while...I guess...since I met you, and...mmn..." I had begun stuttering out an apology, my mind still only somewhat working at the moment, but was cut off as Sergei hushed me with his petal-soft lips once again, delighting me thoroughly.

I shuddered where I stood, the effects of Sergei initiating our kiss being dramatically more sensual than anything I could have hoped for, as I positively melted against the Russian's large, deadly hands as he brought them to either side of my face and cupped my jaw, holding me affectionately as he kissed me one more time this morning, completely putting to rest whatever fears about pursuing him had remained within me.

This kiss ended faster than the others before it, and I breathed a genuine smile of relief as Sergei rested his forehead against mine after our tingling lips had separated, his thumbs still stroking over my cheekbones as he and I both perhaps needed this moment to gather ourselves, to try to make sense of the bond that had been created between us.

"...wow..." I whispered, seeing him solemnly close his eyes as he grinned from my single spoken word, his hands warm and assuring where they rested on my jaw and neck, as the beautiful Russian generally desired to be close to me, connected and one with my virtues as well...and I could not have been more pleased to grant him anything he wished of me.

"...I never knew a kiss could be so...wow..." I continued to murmur a bit mindlessly, feeling Sergei move his strong hands down my neck and slowly away from my body, his lessening touch rendering me able to think more and more clearly as I blinked my eyes at his peaceful expression and gentle grin.

"...let me take you to breakfast," I voiced almost as quickly as the thought entered my brain, my change in tone making Sergei soundlessly chuckle as he opened his eyes and lifted his head away from mine so he may look properly upon me, ice-blue gazing intently into my features as I stared amiably up at him.

"...it's the least I could do...besides, you treated me to drinks last night; it's only fair," I reasoned with the powerful Russian male before me, the intensity of his eyes and the set of his shoulders still enticing as it was intimidating to me as I traced my eyes over his snow-kissed features, reading every one of them for how much noble artistry that truly was there.

I watched as a child watches the small miracle of something happening for the first time as Dragunov lifted a battle-roughened hand to his forehead and casually raked his fingers once through his coal-colored hair, effectively pulling his lengthy mane away from his alluring face, as he seemed to think over my words for a second.

Effortlessly sexy, timelessly enrapturing to me like a famous painting or piece of priceless art was the sight of Sergei performing such a seemingly habitual gesture, but I felt my nerves shake within my body and a warmth spread across my flesh, making my mind blank for a solid second and my cock to stir in response.

I had already known that this man was devastatingly attractive, his features complex and his attributes bordering on flawless, but to witness such sensuality from Dragunov in a personal setting like this...I could almost feel my senses leaving me all over again, just like when we had kissed.

Sergei lowered his eyes to mine at last, his long fingers tucking a few strands of his dark hair behind an ear, as he curved his tempting lips into a smirk that I realized I was beginning to love all too much, before he finally nodded in agreement to my request.

"Good..." I said firmly, taking the minuscule half-step that separated us as I cautiously but boldly placed either of my hands flat on Sergei's broad chest while continuing to look up at him, forever gauging his reactions, the tiniest of emotions that passed over those glowing white eyes, as I carefully sated my desire to touch him more, to see just how far he would let me go with him as I confessed,"...because...I really wasn't ready to be away from you just yet..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_Lars' POV_

Five days later...

I focused on my breathing, not letting my intakes of air become too immense or too rapid as I performed fast-paced push-ups, keeping my arms and hands close to my body in order to maximize how much of my own weight I lifted up from the floor.

I could feel my drenched bangs sticking to my forehead whilst I moved, my knuckles pushing against the hard flooring like I was trying to bust through it, as I tended not to keep a count of how many repetitions of the exercise I performed, only gauging my outcome by how long it took me to feel my muscles protest.

That said, I knew I had put a solid thirty minutes into this exercise.

I sniffed in an amount of air through my nose, able to feel a few beads of sweat sliding their way down either of my cheeks, as my thoughts continued to drift from one end of the world to the other, thinking about anything and everything...one thing standing out in particular, though.

Sergei.

I smiled at the thought once more, wise to the fact that I seemed to be smiling a lot more often since becoming so close to the handsome Russian officer.

Several days ago, after I had woken up in his hotel room, our breakfast together had been wonderful, where I had been totally comfortable being around him and talking to him as if he and I had known each other for years.

I had been able to read through Dragunov's silence, picking up on his expressions and even the smallest change in the glint present in his astounding eyes which sometimes had been better than words as his eyes always spoke the truth to me.

"Shit!" I cursed aloud, almost losing my balance on my bent toes and curled fists, as I hurried to right myself before I landed on my face on the floor, my swimming thoughts effectively distracting me as I still continued to push my weight up from the floor.

It had also been just a few days ago, I remembered soulfully, that I had watched him spar with Bryan Fury inside this gym.

Sergei had been deliciously shirtless, wearing only a pair of loose-fitting charcoal-grey athletic pants with all of his jet-black hair pulled back from his face, as his stature and stance had commanded the training area, his every feature schooled hard into performing to the best of his ability, and it had been with eager vigor that I had stood at the edge of their floor mats so I may see him.

Their match had drawn quite a few spectators, actually, and I shall never forget how I saw Dragunov suddenly direct his cool blue eyes to mine, completely disregarding his fiery opponent for a solid second, as he smirked those frozen rose-petal lips at me before rearing back his fist and delivering a bone-shattering blow to the center of Fury's chest, thus ending their sparring match as the latter crumpled to the floor in agony.

The people watching had clapped in earnest for the silent but heavily breathing Russian, as Sergei slowly made his way over to me, taking me a bit by surprise as he brazenly stepped right in front of me, his near-white eyes looking softly down at me as he grinned tiredly, warmly.

And then, as if there had been no one else in the room, Sergei lifted a single hand to my face and gently ran the tips of his fingers across my cheek, as if I were made out of expensive porcelain and needed to be handled with infinite care, before slipping his hand around one of my own.

My eyes had been wide, my whole self having been rendered immobile in an instant, as I simply marveled at the way Sergei regally brought my hand to his lips and placed an elegant kiss to my knuckles; the irony of how he had just finished beating another man to a heaving pulp and was now treating me like a priceless artifact that he needed to protect having not gone unnoticed by me in the least.

The moment had only lasted a few seconds before Sergei had smoothly walked out of the gym and away from the few onlookers, me myself having still needed a minute to collect my thoughts and muscle memories again in order to function.

My thoughts had returned slowly to me whence the event had happened, because I had only been capable of knowing two things for sure at the time.

The first notion was that I had been wooed, absolutely and unequivocally wooed by such a grand yet subtle gesture that spoke volumes of an intriguing old-world chivalry and sense of respect that Dragunov had reserved for me, something that made me feel special and unparalleled.

The second...was that I had been made impossibly aroused by such an action as well, able to feel my flesh warm and my blood rush to passionate levels within my veins as I unconsciously yearned for more of the same precious treatment, more meaningful looks and deliberate touches that truly meant something to me.

I had been stunned by his magnificence which seemed to radiate no matter what the Russian did, whether he was engaged in a fight, sipping liquor most men might not be able to handle, or simply gracing me with that lovely smirk of his.

"...oof!" I grumbled as I finally succeeded in losing my balance after all, my arms giving out beneath me as I landed on the floor, my exhausted body more than obliged to simply lie there for a moment to rest, and to attempt to sum up my seemingly endless thoughts about one entrancing and obviously distracting Russian.

I knew that I was obsessed with Sergei, there was no point in trying to deny that anymore.

I knew that this obsession had grown exponentially from my first spark of interest in the beginning, and that same path did not seem like it was stopping short any time soon.

I sighed against the cool tile of the flooring, finding it a welcome sensation against my heated face and neck, as I closed my eyes, a realization dawning steadily on me even though it was something I think I had known for a while.

I was falling for him...falling fast and head-first, able to feel that my mere fascination with Sergei was truly anything but.

It was admiration and love that I felt for him, it was lust and unbridled fire, it was warmth and passion to be with him, curiosity and raw devotion...

I chuckled quietly at the thought that, like my feeling that I was falling for him, I had literally fallen right now on the floor because of him.

Rolling my eyes at my strange humor, I picked myself up from the floor just in time to see the walking tower of a man named King approach me, his jaguar mask in place and a bit menacing as he pointed a meaty finger at me and then assumed his grappling stance.

"...heh," I breathed as I smirked, hearing King, who was dressed in a black and orange tee shirt and black pants, growled at me, sounding an awful like the jungle cat he was portraying as I slid into my fighting stance as well, ready to spar with him.

Suddenly, faster than I had anticipated, King moved, throwing his massive weight forward as he used his shoulder and arms to tackle me to the floor.

I wheezed slightly as I had the wind knocked out of my lungs, before I forced myself to take a deep breath, harden my resolve again, and wrench my legs away from the wrestler before he could seize them to his advantage.

I rolled out of the way of his grappling maneuver, missing a combination of low to mid-range punches that King sent my way as well, as I darted to an off-center position with him, my front leg already snapping forward and connecting firmly with the inside of his thigh.

Another fierce snarl came from the gigantic wrestler as he noticeably had to take some weight off of that leg before he switched his footing, making his whole body pivot in a way I had not been ready for, as King adjusted to my position and threw another myriad of forward punches.

Raising my fists, I blocked the first two blows, but the third slammed into my jaw, and even though my head fell backward from the impact, my brain was already registering the force behind his attacks, the speed of his movements, and which sides he was keen on favoring.

I recovered quickly, throwing up a high knee into King's torso before punching him squarely in the chest with a fierce palm-strike, and then punching him across the cheek with a fast cross, my legs already tingling to deliver another series of kicks to him as well.

However, King used the momentum of my punches that had made him take several steps backward to expertly leap high into the air, his body angling over as he ascended, before the professional wrestler drew both of his large legs in close and then shot both of his feet out so that they rocketed into my chest and stomach, King having been nearly perfectly horizontal for a moment to complete such an aerial attack.

I groaned in red-hot pain, choking on my own spit, as I toppled to the ground, my chest feeling like it had just been set on fire, as my ears already heard the behemoth of a man making his way over to me where I lie, as I tried to regain a normal pattern of breathing that did not hurt.

My military training told me to move now, knowing that my opponent was a show-commanding wrestler, and would want to perform one of his signature moves that would most likely crush one or more of my limbs.

I moved; I moved without hesitation or thought, only instinct pulling me forward.

I pushed aside the raging discomfort in my stomach, and got to my feet, ready to avoid his attacks and perform my own.

With a feral noise escaping me, I ducked down low, driving my fist up from the ground and into King's stomach that hoisted him into the air as a result, feeling satisfied when I heard him voice his obvious pain from behind his mask.

I righted myself as I stood up, and then sprang into the air as well, kicking my legs out over my head as I effectively performed a back-flip, striking King at high-range with both feet before landing with a slight bend to my knees.

King barely let himself feel the floor, one of his hands coming up to cradle the place on his chest where I had struck, before he was already moving towards me again, growling that strange sound at me once more, as he practically ran towards me, my blows seeming to have only made him enjoy our match all the more.

I swallowed hard at the sight of those glowing green jaguar eyes racing towards me, but gasped and whipped my head around as I watched as King abruptly dropped his body to the floor and slide behind me, not unlike a baseball player sliding into home base.

All too quickly, my arms were twisted behind me, King's strength far surpassing my own as the wrestler gathered me against his chest to, no doubt, lift me high into the air and then slam me hard into the unforgiving ground.

I grit my teeth, my brow furrowed and blotted with hot sweat, as I struggled against King's iron grip, dreading the enormous amounts of pain that were about to befall me, but then suddenly felt the wrestler's huge arms leave my body, able to hear his shoes slide against the tiled floor.

Surprised and confused, I spun around in place and my jaw immediately dropped open upon seeing Sergei Dragunov throwing King back and away from me and into one of the large mirrors that lined the bordering walls, the Russian not even breathing hard after having heaved such dense weight to the other side of the room.

Sergei was clad in his black and green stealth gear, his sleeves rolled up to about the middle of his forearms, showcasing his leather gloves and thick-corded muscles, as he had his back somewhat turned to me, still watching over King who was seated on the floor several feet away from the Russian and me.

My gaze was absorbed with the way Sergei stood perfectly still, as if at attention and ready to spring into action at any given moment, as King clumsily got to his feet, the wrestler still quiet a bit bulkier in size than Dragunov as he rotated his shoulders for a second.

I knew Sergei's stance well.

It was a challenge, a dare...he was warning King to be on his way, to leave this room immediately...Sergei was asking King to persuade him to even impose having a proper fight with him, one for which he would need to assume his fighting position.

I watched, frozen in place, as King slowly began side-stepping Sergei, rounding his steps so that they were still quite a distance apart, as both men turned their heads to follow each others' gaze while the wrestler walked.

I breathed out the air I had been unconsciously holding as I watched as King strode out of the training area, Sergei having followed him with his eyes the entire time before turning to face me at last.

"...well, that was intense..." I tried to make the situation seem less dramatic than what it had been, trying to take the sting out of the fact that I had been moments away from having my head crushed in by one of King's body-slams, "...thanks for...doing what you did, Sergei...I guess you pretty much saved my ass. I was sure that..."

I would have said more, but the pained look in Sergei's translucent, water-colored eyes stole the words right out of my throat, as the black-haired officer cautiously raised a gloved hand to my face and gently seized my chin with his thumb and forefinger.

I felt any tension that had remained in my body simply float away upon being touched by him, as Sergei mindfully turned my injured cheek towards him, his electric-blue eyes woefully assessing the damage of my reddened, bruising skin, before he released my chin and merely held my soothed gaze for a moment more.

"It's not so bad..." I tried to reassure Sergei, lowering my eyes down to his hands as I slowly reached my own hands out to him, wanting to feel his hard body under my fingers and feel that special kind of comfort that touching him seemed to always let me experience.

However, I had only been able to ghost my fingertips across Sergei's forearm before the quiet, snow-kissed male grabbed one of my hands, his determined steps already steering the two of us out of the training area and back towards the locker rooms.

"...there's...there's really no need..." I attempted lamely to voice my reassurance again, my feet admittedly having a bit of a hard time falling in step with Sergei's long strides that dwarfed my own, before the Russian officer pulled me to one of the long, wooden benches where there were sinks and showers located to the left and royal blue metal lockers on the right.

Upon seeing Sergei raise an expectant eyebrow at me, I obediently sat down on the bench, honestly content enough just to be able to watch him move about in such a personal setting, as Sergei quickly turned around and exited the back room.

I sighed in defeat, one which I was more than happy to oblige to, as I dropped my spikey, blonde head and took a well-deserved breath deep into my lungs.

I blew out the trapped air slowly, my eyes blinking at the off-white tile that looked even darker in the dim lighting that was supposed to console the fighters in such an area, provide a bit of solace in the midst of such a brutal sport, as I could safely say that I felt the ambiance working on me.

My head snapped up upon hearing the solid sounds of Sergei's boots hitting the floor whilst he quickly walked back to me, and my gaze was filled with the handsome Russian male soon after, the few locks of his coal-black hair that framed his face moving a bit whilst he walked so briskly.

I groaned childishly as Sergei walked to my side, the both of us moving to straddle the bench as we faced each other, and I tried not to wince too noticeably when Dragunov carefully placed the ice-pack he had retrieved on my swollen cheek.

Once I opened my eyes again, I looked longingly at Sergei's carved-out-of-Heaven face, so close to my own, as his outstretched hand continued to hold the ice up for me, his somber yet mysterious gaze peering directly into my darker sapphire eyes, watching closely, asking me without words if I was alright.

In a rush of movements, I knocked the ice away, and then lunged across the short distance that separated myself from Sergei, effectively tackling him to lie flat on the bench as I situated myself on top of him.

My hands curled around the thick fabric of his dark clothing as I straddled Sergei's hips, peering intently down into his surprised features and parted lips, as I ran my tongue over my own, telling him just as silently that I wanted a taste.

Leaning my weight down, I brushed my lips against Sergei's full lips, my eyes closing in satisfied peace, before our mouths fused together, our kiss easily becoming urgent and demanding of one another as I hummed low in my throat.

My hands loosened their grip on the front of Sergei's uniform as our lips naturally parted, our breath sensually mixing together, as he nipped playfully at my bottom lip, slowly but surely bringing me out of my right mind with how much of a tease he truly could be.

"...mmh...nnn..." I purred as I shoved my tongue inside Sergei's warm, moist cavern, our wet muscles eager to tangle erotically together, as his long, leisured strokes of his tongue against mine was met with my flicking provocatively at the tip of his before I sucked his tongue inside my mouth all over again.

Sergei shivered underneath me, sighing out his pleasure, and that was all the encouragement I needed to begin unfastening the buttons adorning the front of Sergei's tactical gear, my hands desperate to touch his flesh and hear more of those breathless pants for air escape his lips.

My lips moved furiously along with Sergei's, a complete contrast to how tenderly the Russian moved his palms to the sides of my face, cradling either side of my jaw against his palms, as I hastened to remove the layers of material from his upper body, needing to see his scarred, pale flesh, needing to see exactly what I was doing to him.

The last of the buttons undone, I roughly pushed up the plain white undershirt towards Dragunov's collarbone, revealing his broad, immaculate chest where the lines of his repaired flesh looked almost lavender against such pallid skin in the shallow lighting.

I lowered my lips to Sergei's battle-strengthened chest, one of my hands splayed across his collarbone, keeping his shirt pinned there, as I lightly ran my tingling lips across the smooth expanse of skin, searching and savoring his milk-white flesh and alluring scent of maplewood tinged with a hint of sweet blackcherry.

"...haa...ha..." Sergei panted from above me, his hands coming to rest on my shoulders as I traced the toned ridges of his abdomen with my bottom lip before bringing out my pink tongue and laving generously at his creamy flesh, tasting his unique and utterly arousing flavor that sang to my senses and enveloped what remained of my mind.

My lips closed again and again along his rigidly honed abdomen, pressing chaste kisses where I pleased, as I could feel the Russian's breathing speeding up, his chest heaving quietly as he gripped my shoulders a little harder in his hands.

I administered tortuously fleeting bites to Sergei's taut lower abdomen, right below his navel, as I simultaneously ran both of my hands down the front of his sculpt torso, rumpling his white shirt as I sought to map out the hard planes of this man with my fingers along with my lips and tongue.

"...mmh..." Sergei groaned in a voice laced with natural weighted timbre, his neck stretching to a side as he writhed softly beneath my hands; the sound of his rich, baritone voice shooting right through me, providing blinding color and vibrancy to my already soaring lust for this man.

My lips trembled before I pulled them away from his body, daring to look over such a sinfully attractive and dangerous creature, needing to see his eyes before I continued any further, while I semi-consciously moved my fingers to Sergei's military pants.

"...your voice...God...I wish you'd let me hear it, Sergei..." I whispered to the dark-haired male before me, my own words sounding a bit far away to my ears as I let my half-lidded gaze drink in the sight of Sergei lying down before me, his lips begging and swollen from our kisses as his wide chest and trim waist were exposed sensually for only me to see.

"...Christ...do you have any idea what it is you do to me..." I continued speaking in a low tone to the beautiful Russian male, pulling apart the two snap-buttons at the hem of his trousers before scrupulously inching them down over his perfect hipbones, bringing my chin down to hover just above Sergei's stomach while I spoke such confessions, "...I can barely think when you're near me...I can't do anything except...look and be amazed by you..."

Dragunov pulled his bottom lip in between his white teeth, one of his hands coming up to stroke my cheek affectionately, immense gratitude behind his silk-like caresses and swirling, clear-blue eyes, before I succeeded in freeing his pulsating length from his pants at last.

"...fucking hell..." I mindlessly blurted out, my voice a bit breathless as I could feel my eyes widening at the sight of this man's long, impressive cock, the thick, mushroom head already glistening with small smears of pre-come that had my mouth practically watering with want.

Sergei's breath audibly caught in his throat, his lips being released from his teeth in the process, as I latched both of my hands onto the fabric still scrunched up at Sergei's hips and gingerly ran the tip of my tongue over the swollen, velvet-smooth head, letting the clear drops of his essence fall on my tongue and erotically coat my lips.

"...haa...ah..." Sergei panted, his rose-petal lips parted as he reached his hands up over his head, grabbing onto either side of the bench he was lying on as he unknowingly stretched his god-like body tight for me whilst I worked, my lips closing around the head of his member as I boldly swirled my tongue around such ultra-sensitive flesh.

"...hmm...haa..." Sergei quietly voiced his pleasure for me to hear, my keen hearing able to detect his rich Russian accent in the midst of his gentle coos of ecstasy, and I smiled against his flesh as I suckled diligently on the very tip of his length, dipping my tongue into the moistened slit as my fingers tightened their possessive hold on his hips.

My glazed eyes blinked up to see Sergei's face, loving how his porcelain features were restless with his building pleasure, making him even more stunning a vision to behold, and I felt my own lust positively thrive with even more wonderful agony, making my cock throb in between my spread thighs, as I lowered my mouth down upon Sergei's wide length, swallowing as much of his rigid flesh as I could.

"...ohh...ugh..." Sergei voiced even more clearly, his onyx head coming up from the wooden bench for a moment before falling back again with a dull clunk, his body wanting to curl around such tantalizing pleasure being administered to him, as I brought one of my hands to the base of his hard shaft, squeezing what I could not fit inside my mouth, as I concentrated on digging my tongue into the highly-receptive underside, alternating between massaging the veins there and lightly scraping my teeth against his skin.

"...mmn...haa..." Sergei's pants and groans of pleasure had substantially increased in volume, much to my infinite delight, as I moved my gripping hand and lips in time with each other, stroking his heated, delicious flesh into my mouth as I sucked him hard with each measured pass of my lips.

Then, drawing a gruff moan of approval from my own throat, I felt Sergei thread his fingers through my soft blonde hair before seizing a fistful at the crown of my head, the Russian having sat up slightly as he began directing the pace I moved my mouth up and down his engorged length.

I purred amiably around his intruding length as the two of us gradually increased the speed which I took him down my throat, my senses fuzzy and amazingly fogged within me, focused on nothing but this man's delectable moans and the pleasure he received because of me, as I happily obliged and stretched my lips wide around his pulsating base.

I hummed breathlessly once more, thoroughly enjoying the way Sergei's smooth pre-come tasted on my tongue over and over, while I felt the silent warrior shivering with growing, devastating need whilst we moved in tandem, and I admittedly felt a bit inebriated with the way Sergei subtly thrust his hips up to meet my descending mouth, giving Dragunov the most pleasure to be felt during such an act.

"...ha...haa...ah...mmn..." the gorgeous, impossibly sexy Russian's groans were becoming ragged and desperate, his trembling fingers readjusting their hold on my hair as I simply let him fuck his cock into my opened mouth with harsher thrusts of his hips that had me deep-throating his staggering member at a rapid pace that pulled another sensual moan from me.

I loved how Sergei was absolutely losing himself with me like this.

I loved the way his chest heaved with his fast intakes of breath in order to accommodate for his paralyzing desire to experience relief.

I loved how he was taking control of me like this, using my body to please himself as he roughly shoved his cock deep inside my mouth as if his very livelihood depended on it.

Feeling ready to burst from the sheer magnitude of the hazed, wanton sensations currently swarming inside of me, brought on simply being with him like this, I urgently placed my hands to the front of my own pants and pulled out my heavy, leaking member, my gripping fingers already squeezing at the slippery head before lowering a bit and taking a hold of the whole length against my palm.

I could tell Sergei was getting close...I could tell by the rushing tingles pooling low in my aching groin that I was close, as I stroked my hand over my begging member, tugging hard and fast at my solid flesh, making me moan all the more around the Russian's length while he repeatedly hit the back of my throat with his intimidating size.

Suddenly, Sergei gasped sharply, his hips shuddering drastically, making me snap my wide eyes up to his form so I may witness exactly what I had wanted to see ever since first meeting this entrancing man.

With a certain grace, a special type of savoir faire I knew I would never truly understand, Sergei elegantly tipped his midnight-colored head back as he arched his athletic body, his enticing lips falling open as he moaned to the ceiling from the earth-shattering ecstasy currently coursing through him, and it was then that I felt his member swell in between my lips before suddenly shooting his warm, creamy essence down my willing throat.

It felt like my whole being suddenly fell out of step, like a glitch in my life had just happened which could not be ignored, as I felt my own orgasm abruptly force its way out of me on account of witnessing something so satisfying and otherworldly, able to feel my own pleasure spike tremendously upon tasting his thick, salty come at last and feel exactly the way his body quaked for me as as result.

A line of Sergei's translucent completion sliding down my lips and across my chin, I let my lover's cock slip from my mouth as I finished pulling stream after stream of come from my own cock, the sticky, white liquid having spurted onto the wooden bench in between Dragunov's legs as I groaned in between grit teeth before sighing the last of my euphoric pleasure.

My mouth hung open as I caught my breath, my vision having honestly left me for a few good seconds, as I held my weight up with a hand pressed firmly on top of Sergei's thigh, as I needed a minute or three to reign my weightless mind back down to earth, to collect my senses one by one and try to wrap my head around what had just transpired and what it all had meant to me.

I blinked slowly, licking my lips clean of the last of Sergei's cooling essence, as I realized my orgasm had been something unexpected, something quite powerful in its depth and intensity, like it had come from somewhere deep inside of me, from being in such a situation with someone so special to me, and I had been able to obtain relief so quickly, almost effortlessly...solely because of this Russian.

Like always, he had dazzled me...wholly captivating me with even the smallest of details, and I had loved it; I had loved it so much because it had been with no one else but my mysterious, lovely Dragunov, who looked at me with such longing in his strange eyes, who touched me as if he cherished my every breath, who tasted...as bold as his fighting skills were in the ring.

If this was what permanently being with him would be like...then I wanted it; I wanted it all.

I could already feel my heart flutter wildly inside my chest, making my stomach feel nervous yet excited at the same time, and I knew that all of my thoughts earlier today about being in love with him...were one hundred per cent true.

Being with Sergei Dragunov as I had just a moment ago would not have affected me so much; so much so that I had been able to feel such a pressing need to please him, to see to his pleasure as intimately as he would let me...if I did not love him.

"...goddamn..." I breathed thoughtfully as my dreamy gaze focused on said Russian, gazing in awe at his pale, scarred features, jet-black hair that softly fell into his crystal-blue eyes, as he carefully sat up on the bench and fluidly wrapped his huge arms around me, his larger build nearly swallowing me whole as I quickly reciprocated his gesture.

The folds of Sergei's opened shirt tickled my arms as I had them wrapped around his back, squeezing him tightly to me, as I serenely closed my eyes and buried my nose in his shoulder, feeling him turn his face into my neck and then lift his lips right below my ear.

This was it for me; this was where I wanted to end up every single night...just like this with him.

This was my unobtainable Heaven somehow brought down a little lower for my mortal hands to latch onto, and I silently vowed that I would not let go.

"...thank you," Sergei whispered against my skin, his naturally low, heavily accented voice instantly sending thousands of white-hot sparks to spread and sizzle atop my flesh, as I immediately opened my shocked cobalt eyes and tried to turn my face more towards him, the single spoken phrase making me alight with pure, scalding hot desire for him all over again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_Lars' POV_

Nine days later...

I groaned loudly, my overheated body shuddering as I arched my back, loving how hot and perfect Sergei's beautiful mouth felt on my skin, as my sultry Russian officer tongued my naked collarbone.

I felt boneless in his arms as I writhed and whimpered from his determined, confident touches, Sergei holding me securely in his lap on top of my hotel room bed, as he slid his hands down beneath my loosened trousers and squeezed my ass, letting me know exactly to whom it belonged.

"...ooh...fuck, Sergei...I need you so bad..." I practically growled to the pale man within my grasp, my hazy blue eyes absorbing the sinfully tempting sight of Dragunov with his hair completely down, his diamond-cut features showing the slightest hue of pink due to our intense engagement, while I pawed at his huge, muscled shoulders.

Raising his head up from my bare chest, I could only register my lover's delightfully wicked smirk for a moment before our velvet-soft lips crushed together in a searing kiss, one of Sergei's hands releasing my backside so he may hurriedly grip my throbbing member.

I hissed in between my teeth upon feeling the Russian's strong hand close around my straining cock, his touch making me buck my hips where I sat atop his thighs, seeking out more friction, more of him, as I whimpered against his mouth.

"...heh..." Sergei breathed a smile across my chin as I fisted his sleek black locks in my hands, loving how he precisely worked me over as he positively set my flesh into a frenzy with all of his nearly feral touches, coupled with feeling the highly contrasting softness of his rose-petal lips as they kissed my own over and over again.

My mind was in shambles from the way his ministrations felt so perfect, so miraculously sensual in a way I had never experienced before that had my vision blurring around the edges and my lust roaring through my veins with a vengeance, as Sergei expertly stroked my length up and down inside his large hand.

My fingers tightening their hold on either of Dragunov's shoulders, I tipped my blonde head back, my opened mouth voicing my pleasure to the shadow-laden ceiling of my hotel room, as I relished in the way Sergei pumped my cock faster in his hand, squeezing his fingers around the swollen head with each pass that had me virtually seeing vibrant streams of light.

"...Jesus...getting close...mmn...getting close, baby..." I panted the words out to the silent Russian, my hips thrusting in time with the movements of his hand, and I mewled in tempting oblivion as I felt Sergei brazenly press the pad of his finger against my entrance.

"...oh, please...please Sergei...I'm begging you to do it," I pleaded shamelessly, wise to the fact that Dragunov secretly loved it when I begged him like this, as my body positively could not be kept still pressed up against him, writhing in a vain attempt to control my escalating arousal as the black-haired male gently circled my opening with his index finger before sliding inside.

"Haa...!" I voiced in rapturous pleasure as my own movements stuttered, my hands unconsciously sliding down his shoulders to grip onto either of Sergei's wide biceps for support, as I felt Sergei remove his finger and then fix me with his narrowed, crystallized stare.

Breathing hard, I lowered my eyes to his, only to have my gaze widen upon witnessing Sergei smirk that devilishly handsome smirk of his at me before he ran his tongue over two of his fingers, wetting them generously.

"Sweet Mother of..." I whispered in unforeseen amazement by such an entrancingly lewd gesture, but was quickly cut off as Sergei tossed me onto my back on the bed, the Russian effortlessly maneuvering in between my legs by using one of his knees to push mine apart.

I gripped my own aching member in my hand, resting the other up by my head amongst the scattered pillows, as I watched as Sergei blinked his cool, ice-colored gaze up to my features while he calmly moved his rough hands over my parted thighs.

My red leather pants having slipped completely off of one leg, I spread my legs wide for Dragunov, inviting him without words to do what he pleased, anything he so wished with me, and my breath caught in my throat as I watched the heavily scarred man before me lick his full lips as he lowered his head to my groin.

"...oh my God...Sergei..." I whined breathlessly, my eyebrows lightly scrunching up as if I were in some sort of pain as I used my hold on my length to run the glistening tip over Sergei's lips, peering intently as I made them move, before he smoothly opened his mouth and let me push my cock inside his warm, wet cavern.

"...ohhh...hell yes...holy fuck...mmn..." I murmured airily, my head falling back against the pillows as I shivered upon feeling my stunning, dangerous lover move his gorgeous mouth up and down my engorged length, taking all of me nice and slow as one of his hands trailed lower.

I squirmed with impossible need, a few of the smaller pillows hitting the floor from my movements, as my rushing, racing euphoria was suddenly made to simmer hotly within me from such gloriously sweet torture, Sergei's mouth on me once again proving to be my ultimate undoing, as I gently rocked my hips up into his mouth, stretching his luscious lips, and making him look even more goddamn sexy than he already was.

Sergei exuded serenity and control as he tended so meticulously to me, and the sheer power behind every one of his movements about had me at my wits' end, praying for one of us to lose our minds sooner or later, as I clawed at the white bedsheets, arched my back in wonderful frustration, and moaned my brimming pleasure for him to savor.

"...S-Sergei...haa...I love it...I fucking love it...what you do to me...God, don't stop..." I confessed dreamily, taking my bottom lip in between my grinning teeth as I felt Sergei tease my entrance with ghost touches before finally easing a single finger back inside me.

My hands tore at the pillow behind my head, my tongue briefly wetting my drying lips as I panted out my pleasure, forever in love with the way Dragunov would make me wait, make me absolutely want everything he had to give me, and I could have cried with joy upon feeling Sergei ease his calloused digit in and out of my entrance a few times before carefully adding a second finger.

My hips bucked wildly into Sergei's patient mouth as I felt him push his two fingers deep inside of me, my hot channel fluttering around him as my inner muscles were forced to relax and accept the ecstasy-inspiring intrusion, and I could not have been in more heaven at the moment.

My lover's beautiful midnight-colored mane tickled my lower abdomen as he ever-so slightly picked up his pace of sucking me off, his lips squeezing around my cock in a manner most maddening every time he came to the very tip before slamming his mouth back down the whole length again.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, to keep my head upright from the pillows beneath me, but once I did, the moment I caught sight of Sergei's heart-stopping gaze that looked even more pale, even more ghostly white since we were surrounded by so many grey and black shards of shadows, I could feel it.

"Sergei...ahh...c-coming...! Oh my f-fucking God...Sergei...I'm coming, baby..." I moaned in a hefty crescendo that spread throughout the entire unlit room, my tone muffled by my own breath that quickly became haggard and broken escaping my parted lips as I arched my back once more, screwing my eyes shut tight as I welcomed the sensations of my orgasm flooding through me.

I came so suddenly, my own body's reactions surprising me with how quickly Sergei was able to draw a crippling release from me, as I quaked dramatically underneath his hands and lips, filling his obliging mouth with my warm essence in long bursts that I could see slide down his sharp chin in tiny, translucent lines.

With a final lick that had me leaking a little bit more of my juices from my twitching cock, Sergei swiftly sat up straight, so fast that his hair was whisked back away from his face as I watched in childlike wonder as his pink tongue slowly slid across his lips to lap up at the trails of my come.

"Sergei..." I breathed, reaching my arms out for him and already feeling worlds more in tuned with my sated peace as Sergei gracefully lowered himself down inside my embrace, burying his nose in my neck as I squeezed my arms securely around him.

I shivered and smiled, my eyes closing briefly, as I felt Sergei breathe a sigh of relief, of happiness against my sensitive flesh, soothing me to no end to have him so close and intimate with me right now, and I tightened my embrace along his wide, scarred back in a possessive hold.

"...you know you can have me...you can..." I whispered in my lover's ear, confessing such words that dared not be spoken any louder, as I blinked my opening eyes at his dark hair that curtained his profile from me.

Sergei sighed thoughtfully through his nose as he raised himself up once more, my sapphire eyes searching over his porcelain features, his sculpt chest and damaged torso, before finally settling on his pensive gaze, knowing that he had an answer, something to convey.

A small, sad smile just barely curved his shapely lips at me, his eyes surrealistically soft and mesmerizing as they look tenderly down upon me, and I felt my heart thump solidly within my own chest as I watched as Dragunov slowly shook his head from side to side.

"...but...but...why not...? Sergei..." I attempted to argue with him, trying to sit up but failed at once from the iron wall that was Sergei's weapon-hardened hand pressing gently against my chest and preventing me from doing so, the Russian's smile only growing across his attractive face as he probably knew that I had not one ounce of fight present within me right now.

X

Two days later, inside the main waiting room of the arena...

I stood with my arms crossed over my chest, my stance resembling many of the other fighters around me as we all peered up at the many television monitors that occupied the high corners of the dim, off-white room.

Nina stood my side with an equally snide look on her face as we watched the televised updates of the King of the Iron Fist Tournament being broadcast.

Footage was replayed over and over of Bryan Fury getting knocked unconscious by Steve Fox in the latest match, some of it played in slow motion where we all could see just how much blood sputtered out of Fury's mouth just before he toppled to the ground.

"In other related news, tournament officials and fans alike have been shocked to find out about the early withdrawal from fan-favorite and potential hopeful Julie Chang. Officials have only released that Ms. Chang has exclaimed that it had been a hard decision to leave the tournament, but she knew she was needed more at home."

"...what a shame," Nina commented aloud, and I had to nod my head in agreement.

"Furthermore, because of Julie Chang's unexpected withdrawal, the next fight is between Swedish-born military officer Lars Alexandersson..."

"...ugh...it feels like I just had a match..." I rolled my eyes at my tournament photo being displayed in front of a wall of fire across the television screen, ignoring how Nina had chuckled at my comment and gave my shoulder a hearty smack.

"...and his opponent...the silent Russian general Sergei Dragunov! Be sure to tune in next Friday for the match between the tournament's two military men!" the announcer of the program finished, his every word registering to me in nothing but pure, unshakeable shock.

"...w-what...? I have to f-fight...Dragunov?" I voiced in blind panic, my arms having fallen to my sides as my head dropped a little towards my chest, my brain currently unable to calculate such detrimental facts at the moment.

"Ouch. Tough break, Lars," Nina spoke next to me, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, even though I could barely feel her touch.

"I've got to go find him..." I blurted out, uncaring of who all heard me, as I promptly stormed out of the holding room and down the lengthy corridor, ignoring the curious looks from my comrades.

My boots thudded heavily atop the tiled flooring as I navigated hastily towards the opposite end of the building to where I could exit through the front entrance, thoughts and concerns whirring through my brain as I pictured nothing else than Sergie's handsome face in my mind.

"...can't do it...it's not...I cannot...how can they expect me to actually go through with it and fight him...him...the one person that I...ugh!" I grumbled frustrated to myself as I sprinted out of the building and into the crisp late afternoon air, already heading for the hotel where I knew he would be.

I needed to talk to him about this and make sure he knew.

I had to know how he felt about it.

Most of all, I just needed to see him...

I jogged across the semi-busy street, not even paying any mind to the few car horns that blared at me in the process, as I ran inside of the bright, pristine hotel, passing customers and employees alike with their confused stares.

But I already knew where I was going.

Disregarding the elevators due to the immense amount of surging adrenaline within me, I headed for the stairs and began climbing the carpeted steps at a break-neck pace.

My breathing was beginning to sound choppy to my ears, but I pushed passed any physical discomfort I was feeling at the moment...I just needed to get to him.

I finally reached the appropriate floor, my chest feeling tight from my stress and constant exertion, and it was with great relief that I approached Sergei's door.

I could barely catch my breath, hunched over a bit as I knocked profusely on the door, hating every second that it remained closed, as I repeated Sergei's name to the unmoving wood.

Quickly enough, my dark-haired, pale-eyed beauty opened the door, his brown military jacket and white shirt untucked and unbuttoned revealing just a stripe of his snow-white torso to my eyes, and I had to shake my head to remember why I had came here in the first place.

I licked my lips and continued to pant for precious air while I finally began to speak.

"I just heard...they scheduled us to fight each other...next Friday..." I explained, feeling a little better now that I was back in his presence and had now voiced my concern to him, able to straighten my posture and gradually steady my breathing.

I watched as Dragunov sighed silently through his nose and closed his eyes, his jaw locking somberly that made his mandibles jut out for a second, before Sergei slowly opened his pained eyes and sought mine out.

I could see that he was expressing his remorse, a certain kind of sympathy and regret present within his aching expression, as he opened his door wider and relaxed his stance a bit, his shoulders visibly lowering.

He did not need to say anything; I felt the same way as he.

Everything he was feeling, I could see it in his face...and I know my expression mirrored his exactly.

We did not want to do this.

We could not...

But somehow...we had to.

This was what we did, after all...we both had entered into this tournament knowing full well that every man and woman had already accepted that they would need to do whatever was necessary to get the job done...to make it the top.

We all wanted that.

We all sought the top.

So, somehow, Sergei and I both knew in this moment that we had to put everything aside, every beautiful word or thought that had been exchanged, every scalding hot touch...even the gentle ones that linger long after the contact had physically happened...and we had to do what had been set before us.

It was out of respect and duty.

This would show one man just how much he meant to the other, by taking this seriously and reserving the match and each other the due diligence they both deserved.

We would not hold anything back.

And I knew that I would not let him down.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_Lars' POV_

Ten days later...

My eyes remained closed as I focused intensely on my breathing, never taking in too much air, never letting it escape me too quickly.

Everything was measured; everything was peaceful.

I had deafened my ears to the raucous roaring of the crowds as I walked calmly out of the holding area, my fingers adjusting my gloves with careful precision, placing the leather around my palms and knuckles in just the way that felt most comfortable to me.

For the passed week, I had barely seen Sergei, he and I having come to a mutual decision to take some time to ourselves in order to prepare for our match...this match.

The arena was sold out, as I had been told, but I could not have cared less if there had been ten-thousand people or just ten in the stands.

I ignored the roaming searchlights that highlighted portions of the cheering crowds, making myself not notice the way all of the collected sound felt like a tidal wave of energy coursing through the room and pleading to suck me into it along with everyone else.

No.

Keep in the game, keep my head in the game.

I opened my eyes.

Sergei was already waiting for me inside the cage, and it was with a solid crack suddenly forming in my stone-walled, pre-fight world that I noticed just how much I had missed him this passed week.

The gorgeous Russian was shirtless, standing firmly with his arms crossed over his chest as he sported his black fatigue pants, black gloves, and Aviator sunglasses, his jet-black hair slicked back away from his face and kept free from his usual tie.

"_Fuck me...no, no, no...calm, remember?_ _Keep calm...you can do this..."_ I mentally berated myself for slipping in my resolve upon seeing him, even though my eyes greedily took in his toughened lines of solid muscle as I entered into the caged arena as well, the entrance locking automatically behind me.

His mirrored sunglasses shaped his handsome face with even more allure, making him look mysterious and aloof of the whole situation as he waited for only a moment more for me to find my place opposite him before he lowered his arms, his fists squeezed tight.

We were ready.

It was time.

I exhaled my air slowly as I slid into my fighting stance, the same one I had learned in the military, as it was poised specifically to show power and perseverance.

I watched with cool, calculating eyes as Sergei raised his fists, a light bounce to his stance and I focused all of my attention on the center of his chest, knowing that that was the best spot to anticipate an opponent's moves before they happened.

An opponent.

That was what he had to be to me in this moment.

"FIGHT!"

I grit my teeth and not a second after did I see as Sergei lunged at me with a exuberant hook punch.

My brain instantly kicked into high-gear, placing myself in the proper mindset to execute every move I had ever been trained to do without a moment's notice, as I expertly blocked his attack and then countered with one of my own, punching a lightening-fast combo at him.

Dragunov caught my punches against his thick forearms, his feet already sidestepping for an angled attack from one of my weaker points.

Sergei threw his knee hard, aiming at my side and it was with sharp hands that I lowered my wrists and blocked his attack that would have severely injured some of my ribs.

However, with my hands lowered, I had only been in the process of bringing them back up to protect my face when I felt Sergei's elbow connect with my jaw.

"Urgh..." I sort of gurgled as I worked my jaw side to side for a moment as I stepped back a few times, needing to put some distance between us so I may regain my head and plan my next move.

I only allowed my eyes a glance at Sergei's face before I exploded into action, jabbing twice which I knew he would dodge before throwing a high roundhouse kick that I was admittedly half pleased and half worried when I felt land across the side of his face.

Sergei recovered faster than I had anticipated and had landed a devastating front-kick to my abdomen, making me lose all of my air for a solid moment, before I forced my body to react to his punches that closely followed.

Once, twice Sergei's heavy punches landed into my stomach and chin, putting the information firmly in mind that I could not handle too many more of his direct blows, before I hurriedly made my moves faster than his, having to, as I blocked his next punch and then uppercut his jaw that sent his head tossing back.

His hands forever at the ready even if he did not have his eyes focused and straight, Sergie lowered his head, his lip bleeding and his Aviator sunglasses crooked on his face.

I licked the inside of my mouth, already feeling a cut there, while I watched with immense interest as Sergei calmly removed his sunglasses from his face and put them in his pants pocket, fixing me with his keen, icy stare that looked unrealistic as it did wonderfully familiar.

My heart fluttered inside my chest a little harder upon seeing Sergei smirk softly at me, showing me that fondness was there, understanding, maybe even a little enjoyment.

All too soon, like a panther leaping at its prey, the black-haired Russian had thrown his weight totally into me, his shoulder jarring my ribs and making some spit gush out of my mouth as he tackled me roughly to the floor.

I barely had enough time to raise my hands to block the first two punches meant to rearrange my facial features, before I caught his next punch, my fingers squeezing his hand tightly for leverage as I flipped us over so I may pin him down instead.

Keeping my grip on his hand, I rolled off of him and pulled his arm tight in between my legs, straining his muscled limb to what I knew was uncomfortable lengths, hoping he would tap out and end this match already.

However, taking me by surprise, Sergei followed his arm and rolled back on top of me, taking the pressure off of his arm, as his wrestled away from me, seeing as I was possibly the better grappler between the two of us.

Dragunov snapped up to his feet at once, and I could not help but notice that he allowed me time to get up as well, the Russian purposefully not attacking me while I was down as he could have easily thrown a few low kicks or sweeps to where I was.

Finding the gesture wholly endearing as it was something that one fighter would notice about the other, I popped up onto my feet as well, regaining my stance and trying to shake off the affects of the blows received so far.

Sergei looked breathtaking, poised to deliver fatal strikes to any enemy, with his shining dark hair and white-blue eyes that looked too surreal for words; his toned, scarred body looking dangerous as well as delicious to my racing senses and soaring adrenaline right now.

Now more than ever.

For seven more minutes, Sergei and I did not hold anything back, knowing that we owed the other man this type of quality, meaningful fight right now.

Our fists sang through the air, our kicks thudding heavily against the other man's body, sweat flying off of our brows as we engaged in a ravenous dance that was both beautiful and deadly to behold.

I had never felt so overly exhausted in my life than fighting against Dragunov in this moment.

I had also never felt so at peace, like this was what he and I were meant to do, fueled by so many different emotions and yet involved in something so fantastically simple.

His resilience was remarkable, his stamina unshakeable.

But I delivered everything I could, my elaborate kicks causing just as much damage as his simpler but stronger ones, as we both laid everything on the line, sacrificing it all just like we knew we needed to.

My senses were shocked painfully back into reality upon feeling Sergei's right cross punch slam into my temple, making my vision blur as I stumbled to the ground, my head immediately telling me too much information all at once.

Did this mean the fight was over?

I can keep going!

This pain is...excruciating...I can't go on any longer...

I could hear my haggard breathing in my own ringing ears as I slowly made to stand up from my sitting position on the floor, the match referee giving me and my sluggish movements concerned glances, and it was with some effort that I lifted my hurting gaze upwards.

Through the haze of my weary, battered senses, I saw him.

Sergei was not moving, was not going in for the finishing blow.

He was just...watching...waiting.

And his gorgeous eyes were begging me to get up, needing to know that I still could...that I was still okay.

I moved in an instant, forgetting my discomfort, pushing past my climbing fatigue and overall aching in my limbs, as I sprang up from the ground towards him.

I never wanted to see that emotionally pained expression on my lover's face again.

It all happened as if in slow motion...

My fist reared back, my bleeding lips parting as I roared from my efforts, as I used the last ounce of strength present in my legs to propel me forward and fast.

Then...I watched as Sergei serenely, as if he had all the time in the world, closed his lovely eyes, knowing full well what I was about to do, what was about to happen and the outcome of our match because of this, and he welcomed it.

My fist connected perfectly with Sergei's face, sending him flying backward, a few drops of his blood hovering in the air that had escaped his mouth and nose from the crushing impact, as all of my senses sped back up to normal from being slowed down, every inch of my tiredness and soreness coming rushing upon me all at once, as I watched with wide eyes as my lover toppled to the floor.

"Winner is...Lars!" the referee announced in a steel voice, before rushing to my side and raising up one of my throbbing, bruised arms over my head.

A two-man medic team rushed to Sergei's side, my eyes locked onto his frame as he had one leg bent at the knee and his foot planted on the ground while his other leg was splayed out, the white-dressed medics tending to him and immediately pressing bandages to his bleeding face.

I knew my own face looked no better at the moment.

I could feel blood oozing from above my swollen brow and down my chin.

However, before I could completely teeter down from my shock at what had just happened, I saw as the medics had to move away from Sergei, who was much bigger and broader than they were, as he sat up, resting an arm on top of his bent knee for a moment while he fixed me with his steady gaze.

Despite how purple and black the gruesome bruise was covering the left cheek, despite the tiny lines of bright red blood that colored his lips, Sergei smirked at me from the ground, looking unbelievably not bothered by any of our transpiring actions in the least, as he slowly got to his feet.

I could not move or react, I could only watch as Sergei ignored the many protests to remain sitting from the medical team at either of his sides, while the stoic, silent Russian smoothly turned away from me and then began striding out of the caged arena.

I blinked stupidly at his retreating form, totally belligerent to the crowd chanting my name or the gigantic overhead monitors replaying over and over again my final strike that had won me the match.

None of that even registered to me in this moment.

This victory did not mean a thing if I could not share it with Sergei.

It was because of him that I was even able to do this in the first place!

I pulled my arm out of the referee's grip, not even looking at the several reporters with microphones that had gathered before me to ask questions and hear my statements, as I rushed after Dragunov, exiting the arena the same direction he had as I trotted down the few steps that lead to the ground level.

The crowd cheered and went wild as I immersed myself so quickly amongst them as I hustled out of the overbearing surroundings, my eyes locked onto the hallway I needed to take, the same one I had watched Sergei stroll down, as I glided passed the people and the words and the noise and the energy.

I did not need any of it.

I only needed one thing right now.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

_Lars' POV_

I threw open the door to his room, somehow already knowing that it would be unlocked, and was immediately met with two, large hands reaching for me.

Sergei was still rid of a shirt as well as his shoes, as he slid his fingers across my cheeks and into my hair, my own arms already wrapping around him, as our mouths met hungrily, becoming instantly engaged in deep, passionate kisses that had me humming in pleasure.

He tasted like red wine as he pulled me into his room and kicked the door shut, the two of us bumping into a wall as we swirled our soft tongues together, his lips claiming mine over and over again in such a way that had me feeling wonderfully delirious and addicted to the sensation.

Sergei stroked my tongue with his own before capturing my bottom lip in between his teeth, tugging a bit that had the both of us smiling wickedly before I crushed our lips back together, loving his white-hot fire that I could feel licking at every inch of my skin and warping my brain.

Sergei trailed his hands down my shoulders and around to the front of my red leather jacket, yanking the heavy material off of my frame as I lowered my arms from him so the task could be done with little effort.

I groaned against Sergei's mouth upon feeling him lick my upper lip in a slow, upward stroke, his lips just hovering a mere hairsbreadth away from my own while he continued to rid me of my clothes, his hands having lowered to the front of my pants.

"Mmm...hurry...need you..." I panted heatedly to my Russian lover, my adrenaline soaring to even greater heights than with the match, as I pressed my groin more into his touch, feeling myself drowning in the way Sergei's long fingers teased my thighs and hips before pulling the zipper down.

I squirmed with insanity-inducing need, biting Sergei's lips hard and smiling as I listened to his sharp gasp of air at the pain while he deftly shoved my pants from my hips, allowing me to step out of them at once.

I kissed Sergei's lip, tasting a little blood there and feeling excited from it, before I suddenly felt two deadly hands grip my waist and direct me to the bed, my lips chasing his own despite the movement between our two bodies.

I opened my eyes, my lips parted and needy, and I saw Dragunov's striking ice-blue eyes pierce directly into mine, showing me that this time there were no games, no holding back, no more resisting what he and I both truly wanted, as he roughly pushed me on top of the bed, making me bounce a few times from the force.

I loved how strict and demanding he was being with me, thrived off of it, and it was with eagerness blossoming in every one of my pores that I tore off my white undershirt, already feeling the bed dip down as Sergei planted his knees on the mattress and inched closer to me.

My cock throbbed painfully underneath my grey boxers, as I spread my legs to allow Sergei more room, my eyes locked onto the impossibly erotic scene of Sergei moving closer to me, his half-lidded eyes glowing as he unfastened the belt from the front of his pants.

I groaned at the sight, memorizing the predatory look in my lover's eyes and actions as he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, leaving the garment on but open, as he lowered his broad form on top of my own, making sure that his clothed cock lined up perfectly with my own.

My hands were everywhere on him in an instant, cradling his jaw and making him wince as he was still quite sore from our fight, pulling his soft, slick hair back so I may attach my lips to his throat and suck on his sensitive flesh hard.

"Ugh..."Sergei voiced in his naturally low tone, before he lowered his head and slammed his lips to mine, making me hum in pleasure while the slight flirtation with pain added so much more euphoria to be felt from our actions.

I lured Sergei's hot tongue inside my mouth, sucking suggestively on the slippery muscle as I freed a hand down in between our bodies and removed my boxers from my body, ready to bare everything to Dragunov and accept all of him in turn.

I could not slow down, could not stop from touching and tasting and enjoying every part of him I could, and I savored how Sergei treated me the same way, as if he needed me so badly, he would die in the next moment if he could not have me.

Our match from earlier, all of our time spent together, had lead us to this moment, this moment where I thought I really would welcome death if I could not have him...

Sergei brought one of his hands to the side of my face, holding me so gently which was so different than how his hands had felt on me only a little over an hour ago, as he turned my head to a side and trailed his lips down my cheek, pressing a soft kiss there.

"...I can't hold back anymore, Lars..." Sergei purred in my ear, making my whole body shiver at once and a little more precome slip from the tip of my cock, as I mindlessly ground my hips up into his in response to such a declaration.

"God...then take me...any way you want...please..." I begged wantonly, running my hands down his sides and across his rippled abdomen until I could seize the parted folds of his trousers and tug on the thick fabric, showing him that I wanted them off.

Sergei growled and I felt my blood rush, my teeth capturing my bottom lip, as I watched as Sergei pulled his body away from mine and then tore off his pants, leaving him naked and aroused and so goddamn sexy is was almost surreal.

I hooked a leg onto his lower back and forced him back down on top of me, the both of us moaning as our unclothed members ground together, Sergei's lengthy dark mane falling down either side of his face as the huge muscles in his arms flexed from the cotton-soft pleasure coursing through him.

My breathing stuttered, my chest almost aching with the way I could feel Sergei's lower back guide his hips up and down, the action making our engorged members slide together in a manner most maddening I could just barely hang onto my right senses, as I pawed at my Russian's forearms.

"Haa...feels so good...mmn...Jesus...need you...ah...need you inside me when I come..." I had only just managed to voice out, loving the feeling of Dragunov's heavy length grinding against my own, but also knowing that it could be so much better with him.

I needed to feel everything he could do, all the power and passion his immaculate body could conjure, I needed to experience all of it at last.

Sergei lowered his head down to my chest, immediately licking a long trail across my pectoral muscles, tasting my tingling flesh as he silently acquiesced to my wishes, and I sighed out my pleasure as I felt it simmer hotly instead of boil, my eyes glued onto my beautiful lover's rose-colored lips that moved so freely over my body.

His hands squeezed my parted thighs as he worshipped my lower abdomen with his teeth and tongue, making me writhe in unbearable want, before Dragunov finally took pity on me and released me from his wonderful torture so he may sit up.

I was panting hard, trembling and jittery with red-hot need sparking through me like unstoppable fireworks, and when Sergei stretched his long body over top of my own so he may reach inside a drawer of his bedside table, I looped my arms around him and pressed kiss after kiss to any patch of skin I could reach.

Sergei chuckled as I attacked his throat and chest with demanding licks and kisses, scratching my nails down his back until I heard the small drawer slide back in place, followed by my military lover maneuvering back onto his knees.

I pounced in an instant, unable to keep still for another moment as I sprang up and into his arms, running my hands heavily down the front of his body until I wrapped my fingers around Sergei's thick shaft, feeling it pulse in my grip, as I slowly stroked him up and down while our lips connected fiercely.

Sergei dropped the bottle of oil onto the mattress as he sifted his fingers through my hair, pushing the blonde spikes back from my face and massaging my scalp with his fingertips while I practically devoured his tongue with my own, not ever getting enough of his taste and texture and attention like this.

I freed my hand from gripping Sergei's swollen cock, my other hand lying flat against his toned abdomen while I picked up the discarded bottle he had retrieved from the bedside table, flipping open the cap and then placing one final kiss to his pouting, luscious mouth.

Sergei looked charmingly bedazzled by my boldness with him, my unmistakeable urgency to make love with him, and I smirked at his searching, crystal-colored gaze.

"Let me do this for you..." I cooed to my stunned Russian before turning around in place on my knees and then dropping onto my hands, facing away from him on the mattress as I lowered even more onto my forearms so I would have use of my hands.

I poured a generous amount of the scented oil across my fingers and palm and the reached back so that Sergei could watch as I slowly and carefully teased my poised entrance.

I heard Dragunov's breath hitch straight away as I spread the slippery substance up and down my puckered hole, dipping my fingertips in and out a few times before trailing my coated hand lower to massage my balls, knowing that Sergei would be able to see everything I was doing.

"...ooh...ha...mmn..." I murmured with cloud-like pleasure as I inserted more and more of my single finger inside my entrance, able to feel Sergei drawing even nearer still, as I arched my back and then shoved two fingers all the way completely inside my hot channel.

Suddenly, Sergei seized my wrist and planted both of my hands firmly on the mattress, his weight settled on top of me as he brought his lips close to me ear, making my senses surge once more with the knowledge that he was about to speak.

"Fucking hell, tovaras..." Sergei spoke clearly and precisely and I groaned with another boom of ecstasy piercing through me upon hearing my Russian speak some of his native language to me, something I had not heard from him ever, "...ti takaya neobichnaya...ya skhazshu po tebe s uma...ty tak nuzshna mne, dorogaya moya..."

Before I fully had time to recover from shock upon hearing such beautiful words befall my lover's scarred mouth, I gasped in pleasure upon feeling Dragunov grind his member against the crease of my ass, teasing me with his staggering length and intimidating size that had me struggling against his grip with the need to feel more.

"Nnh...God...give it to me, Sergei..." I whined breathlessly, my eyes closing as I pushed my ass back into his groin, emphasizing my words and feeling as if I might go insane if I was not granted what I had asked for right now.

Then, like a miracle happening within my lifetime, something I could grasp onto and experience intimately and know forever in my mind and soul, I felt Sergei guide his thick cock inside my entrance, the wide, spongy head slowly sinking into me with infinite care.

"...mmn..." Sergei hummed in restrained pleasure from behind me, his hands sliding sensuously to my hips and gripping hard while he continued to move deeper, my teeth viciously releasing my bottom lip as I moaned out in reverberating ecstasy.

Too many sensations flooded me all at once, too much too fast even though Sergei's pace was mind-breakingly slow, and I arched my back in sheer merriment the moment my lover was fully sheathed inside of me, the two of us being totally connected and I felt time stop.

"...haa...holy fucking shit...so big...goddamn...m-move, Sergei..." I groaned out in between my clenched teeth before parting my lips wide and sighing out my pleasure upon feeling Sergei carefully retract his heavy length from my entrance and then ease the whole thing back inside again, making my body quiver in such a way that I was becoming crazed with pleasure.

"nnh...haa.." Sergei breathed with his movements, his large member easing in and out of my body more freely now, and I gave myself completely into everything happening between us, unable to even consider anything else, as I relished in the way I could feel Sergei's gentle thrusts stretch my entrance and massage hard against my inner walls.

It felt like heaven and tasted like sin...and I was absolutely lost in the baffling, wonderful contrast of it all.

Sergei's hands pawed at my lower back, rubbing firm circles against my muscles there that had me cooing with gratitude in between my groans of burning ecstasy that flared through me.

Then, with a certain type of care I could already acknowledge had not been known to too many people in this lifetime that it was beyond precious to those who did know it, Sergei wrapped his strong arms around me and mindfully lifting my upper body up from resting on my hands, bringing me up to my knees and my back resting comfortably against his broader chest.

I loved how much bigger than me he was, felt soothed by it, aroused by it...knowing that I needed exactly what he was giving me in this moment, as I reached my hands back and threaded my fingers through his lovely midnight mane.

His hips ground against my ass, pleasing me in every way possible as he continued to make slow, measured love to me, as if he never wanted it to end, never wanted to be apart from me again...

I felt the same.

"Mmm...so good, Lars..." Sergei purred softly against my temple, his warm breath tickling my scalp and hair, and I shuddered in his arms from another bout of nearly tangible electricity zinging through me upon hearing him say my name.

I moved in sync with his body, meeting his thrusts and grinding my ass back against his groin that had him humming in pleasure as he tipped his head back and more into my hands, loving the way they felt in his hair.

His lovemaking was passionate and soulful, allowing me to touch into something more real than he and I as singular entities, as I truly felt that him making love to me like this was more than just sex, it was him appreciating my body and heart...this was him wanting to claim both of them for himself in deed.

Being like this was him was like trying to reach for something closer to godliness...

I was moved beyond words, happiest I had ever been in my checkered, peculiar life, and I willingly let him have both my body and soul.

Anything he would ask for.

Then, with a low growl in between clenched white teeth, Sergei pulled his sopping wet member from my channel in one, rushed movement, leaving me gasping for breath as I arched my back and immediately felt him wrap an arm around my waist.

I was flipped over faster than I could have blinked, making the thought shoot through my mind in a flash of how perhaps I was not the better grappler between the two of us after all, as I landed onto my back on the pliant mattress, Sergei already moving towards me.

I smiled, loving the sultry way Sergei moved and commanded my body, as he pushed one of my legs out of the way with his knee and grabbed my other leg in an iron grip, already directing the limb around his back while he leaned in closer.

I groaned out a low, trembling tone upon seeing such confidence and sensuality from him, obligingly opening myself up to him once more as I squeezed his shoulders in my hands and held my breath for when I was penetrated again.

Sergei's massive length slid in easily, the silky smooth action making the both of us purr in unspeakable pleasure and satisfaction of being connected so personally again, making me feel whole, making me feel sexy and needed and right.

My alluring Russian boyfriend licked his parted rose-colored lips, narrowing his milky eyes, as he began a rhythm of pounding his cock in and out of my entrance, making my whole body bounce from his hurried actions.

My brain was immediately in love with the transition from Sergei's method of making lovely slowly to fast, his every movement feral and delectably wild as he clutched onto my thighs while he slammed his member inside of me, letting me feel more of his length than the strength of his grind as I remained helpless to his every whim.

I loved it so fucking much, feeling intoxicated by the way I felt powerless and had to take everything that he wanted to give me.

"Haa...yes...fuck...ahh...S-Ser...ohh fuck...just like that...mmh...!" I moaned with unabashed vigor to my lover, tossing my asymmetrical blonde spikes from side to side as my hands could not stop moving, seeming to always have to squeeze at Dragunov's arms, tear at the bedsheets, and grip at the pillows.

I had lost control, utterly and completely...he had made me lose control.

My mind was no longer my own in any sense of the word, as I could not focus on anything at all but the purely erotic sensations Sergei was letting flood through my every pore; our joined passion saturating every cell and nerve and making my eyes no longer see and the rest of the world no longer exist.

I arched my body, drowning in the swelling of my rampant desires and euphoria mixing in a seamless concoction that had me aching with the need to release and to see Sergei come completely undone as well.

"Ohh...c-close...haa...I'm fucking close...oh my God...p-please..." my words dripped from my lips like heated honey as I wrapped my arms around Sergei's scarred back, hugging his bigger form down to me and immediately feeling his every muscle grind against my own whilst we moved together so sensuously, his chest digging into mine and sending my hazed senses all but into a colorful frenzy.

Sergei released my legs in favor of sliding his hands underneath my shoulder blades, massaging my flesh hard as he pulled me towards him with his every harsh thrust, making his cock stab harder inside me, our movements almost too hot for my ultra-sensitive skin to handle, almost too rough for any mere mortal to endure, but I knew in this moment I would never want to make love with any other person in the world besides him.

"Ugh...mmn...Lars..." Sergei whispered breathlessly against my throat, slipping his eyes closed, his features smoothing out incredibly, and I replied hurriedly to my lover's nearly silent plead to me.

"Do it...haa...Jesus, Sergei...come...come inside me...right fucking now...ahh...!" I managed to pant out in between my quick intakes of air and seemingly endless moans, my arms flying above my head while I stretched my body taut underneath his own, wanting him to feel every trembling inch of me as my overstimulated senses and flesh had finally had more than enough.

With a strangled cry of Sergei's name, I tossed my blonde head back, grabbing blindly at the cushioned headboard at my fingertips while I felt the entirety of my pleasure suddenly gravitate towards my groin and pulse out of me in a staggering flow from my cock that had my whole body convulsing with unleashed, furious euphoria.

"Oh...sweet fucking hell...oh Christ...yes...yes...S-Sergei..." I whined in a low voice, my tone weighted dramatically from just the sheer magnitude of my orgasm as more of my essence slipped out of the throbbing tip of my length, my soul shaken and light within my bones and feeling more of a purpose than I had ever known.

Then, in a dazzling display that cut straight through my clouded mind and fatigued senses, I watched as Sergei arched his back, his raven locks being thrown back away from his face as he parted his lips and mouthed my name to the ceiling, and I could feel his hot, creamy essence suddenly rushing inside my fluttering channel.

His hips pumped his cock in and out of my body in a mesmerizing decrescendo that gently lowered me back down to solid ground from the heavens, and I gazed with transfixed eyes as the muscles in Sergei's arms gleamed in the low light of the room, his chest strong and proud before my eyes, as he reached his ultimate of pleasure with me in this moment.

"Beautiful..." the single word slipped from my lips without any need for thought, my hands already coming up to reach for him, and welcome him back down to reality as he had done for me.

My fingers trailed up along Sergei's chest as my Russian lover slowly pulled his softening, spent cock out of my entrance, and then began lowering his frame down to mine, just as I wanted him to.

The both of us were gasping for sweet breath, my body feeling wonderfully sated and comfortably sore in such a way that I could not stop the tired smile that formed my lips as I cradled Sergei's messy head on top of my chest, listening to his breathing and feeling his chest move with each one.

"Incredible...tell me...what did you say before...when you spoke to me in Russian?" I had to ask Dragunov, treasuring how close he still wanted to be with me after our passionate bout of lovemaking as I mindlessly trailed my fingers up and down either of his arms at my sides.

Sergei lifted his head up from my chest upon hearing my question, both startling and soothing me with those translucent, water-color eyes of his that peered so warmly into my own, a handsome smirk curving those tantalizing lips of his.

"...I said you are crazy...and that I need you, tovaras.." Sergei took his time explaining his words to me, his naturally silken tone as low as any baritone strumming through me peacefully and significantly as I absorbed what Sergei was really telling me.

A certain warmth more encompassing and engrossing than the hottest rays ever felt from the burning sun suddenly coasted through me, wrapping me up in a tight told that felt too good for words, and I could not help but brush my lover's hair our of his face that remained so close to my own, his weight still resting intimately on top of me while we simply remained as we were.

Sergei met my pouting lips with a soft, slow kiss, letting the two of us connect once again, showing the other man tenderness and understanding and appreciation...and I knew exactly what I needed to say to him in this moment.

"...mmh...I love you..." I cooed against Sergei's mouth when our lips had just barely parted, and I felt Sergei's breath catch, his beautiful eyes widening at once.

At first, I was worried about the shock I could see present within his porcelain features, but then, with a soft sigh escaping me, I realized that I had not scared him off with my declaration...I had only spoken words to him he probably had not heard for a very long time.

I kissed his lips this time and feel relieved when I feel him melt against me once more, and I smiled as I felt his battle-roughen palm come up to cradle the side of my jaw, knowing that Sergei had just accepted my words and everything that they meant for us.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

_Lars' POV_

Four nights later...

I sighed contentedly, smiling into the pillow as Sergei lie on his side next to me, trailing his fingertips up and down my bare back as we remained so close together on his bed after making love.

I hummed in powder-soft pleasure, loving Sergei's sweet touches and soulful stare I could feel over me, the two of us having spent the whole day together and were currently winding down to fall asleep for the night.

"...mmm...that feels good..." I murmured sleepily, knowing that such words would make my lover smile, as I nuzzled more of the side of my cheek into the soft contours of the feather-stuffed pillow beneath me.

My mind was at a cool, peaceful state, my whole body relaxed and sated, and my heavy eyes felt so good closed, as if I could be like this forever...suspended in serenity with Sergei by my side.

My smile grew across my lips as I felt Sergei lean forward and press a firm kiss to my hair, his hand resting warmly at the small of my back, the white bedsheets covering my legs and lower back as we had removed the heavy duvet altogether from the bed, leaving us more open room to lie about.

"You know..." I began dreamily, my inner-most thoughts easily coming out in such a wonderful moment like this, as I continued, "...I wish I didn't have to compete in the tournament anymore...and me and you could just...go somewhere together; get away from all this..."

Sergei's hand was removed from my back.

I turned my head towards him, puzzlement in my features as to why he would break our contact, and I watched as Sergei looked out towards the rest of the room pensively, his eyes worried and his jaw locking to place, his profile absolutely serious and somber.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I sat up, now able to look directly at him and not just his profile, and I could see the full weight of the concern present within my lover's sky-colored eyes.

Sergei blinked his eyes down for a moment, the few locks of his bangs that had come lose from his half-way pony-tail falling down his temples and forehead and I itched to brush his dark hair away from his brow.

"...talk to me...please..." I begged of my lover quietly, slowly bringing up a hand to Sergei's face and and softly touching my fingertips to his cheek.

Sergei looked back up at me and gently took my hand in his, our fingers intertwining together and falling into his lap, and I mentally braced myself for hearing Sergei's words, treasuring each and every one that escaped his lovely, battle-scarred mouth when he would speak to me and me alone.

"You should not give up...you should keep going, keep fighting...this means everything to you..." Sergei tried to reason with me, his words sounding logical enough, but I smiled as he forgot one, important thing...the most important thing.

"Not everything..." I lifted our conjoined hands and pressed a lingering kiss to one of his fingers, our eyes locked even though mine were shining and his were concerned, "...you mean more to me."

Sergei silently sighed a small smile at my explanation.

"I love you...if this tournament has been good for anything...it's because it brought me to you," I continued in a wisp-soft voice, slowly disentangling our fingers so I may run my hands up and down his massive, bare arms as I scooted closer to him.

Sergei placed his warm hands on my waist, lightly grasping my lean flesh, as he cocked his head to a side while he looked over me whilst I maneuvered to sit in his lap, our naked skin and the smoothness of the sheets making the adjustment effortless and beautiful.

"I love you..." Sergei cooed in between our kisses that just seemed to melt from our lips to one another, my hands pawing at his arms as I rested my weight totally on top of his strong thighs, loving to listen to him but loving kissing him just as much, "...ya tak...lyublyu...tebia..."

"Teach me how to say it..." I smiled cheekily as I licked the thin scar adorning Sergei's chin before kissing his lips again, my arms having lifted up to wrap around his shoulders.

Sergei chuckled, an uplifting, jovial sound just as baritone and velvety-smooth as his speaking voice, and my eyes danced with delight as I watched just how his laughter had shaped his handsome face, making him look absolutely breathtaking.

"...you want to learn Russian...?" Sergei asked in adorable disbelief, his smile reaching his eyes and making them shimmer with ice-blue that stirred my soul to no end as he and I remained so close like this.

"I want to learn Russian...how hard could it be...?" I joked merrily, enjoying the way Sergei lifted one of his fine, black eyebrows at my bold assessment, the atmosphere playful and light, sparkling with bright happiness and colored richly by our growing love for one another.

"Alright...ya tak..." Sergei spoke slowly for me to mimic his words, our lips connecting again and pleasantly taking away my ability to think clearly and concisely, as I willingly gave into the sweet caresses his lips and warmth pressing against me, the strength in his hands as they held onto me, held me to him.

"...yaw...tock..." my own speech and Swedish accent gravely misplacing the proper pronunciations in the Russian vocabulary and my poor reiteration made the both of us laugh in candy-sweet pleasure in between another exhilarating kiss.

"...lyublyu tebia..." Sergei finished his statement previously spoken, his voice like a fine wine, savory and sensational to all of me, and I shuddered in his arms upon hearing him once again, never getting enough of his melodic tone and powerful thoughts conveyed in his own native language.

He sounded confident, sexy, and exotic...

I paused comically, acting like I had to ponder about something seriously before stating very matter-of-factly, "You're right...Russian's too hard...I'll leave that to you."

This made Sergei laugh harder than I had ever heard him before, his immaculate teeth displayed in a brilliant smile that made his whole face light up, his high cheekbones looking even more pronounced, his full lips curving just perfectly around his smile.

"...wow..." I purred a bit mindlessly, a smirk gracing my own features as I watched in awe as Sergei blinked his rare eyes at me, his laughter having subsided and what was left was a pleased smile on my lover's gorgeous face directed right at me.

I tilted my head a bit to a side, admiring and appreciating everything I saw, feeling impossibly happy in this suspended moment, before I leaned more towards Dragunov and squeezed my arms around him.

The quiet Russian wordlessly encircled his arms around my back as well, returning my embrace as he brought his nose and mouth to rest on the top of my shoulder, while I buried my face against the side of his neck.

His scent was of rain-kissed mahogany and spice, creating a delicious mixture that wafted across my senses and lulled me into even more of a seamless trance with him; his scent telling me that I could stay with him forever, the feel of his skin telling me that I needed to stay with him forever, and his words...his words told me that he needed me to stay as well.

I closed my eyes and hugged him tighter, mentally agreeing to it all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Lars' POV_

Five days later...

I bounced a few times on the balls of my feet, punching my fists together once, letting my blood rush through my veins, needing the adrenaline and the courage that came with it.

They had not released the other fighter's identity to me, this being a surprise match to wow the many, faithful viewers who followed the tournament, and I could not suppress the nerves that were keenly trying to battle my determination to win, to fight, to move forward.

More than anything, I was ready to do what I needed to do...for us.

I turned my sapphire eyes towards Dragunov currently sitting cordially in one of the reserved seats close by the traditional arena; my lover a picture of suave control and silent power as he had his arms crossed over his chest and his right ankle resting on top of his left knee.

I was not just fighting for myself anymore...I was fighting for the both of us.

The crowd continued to clap and shout and remain on their toes while Sergei sat calmly in the midst of them all, and I smiled once I saw him nod at me.

I was ready and I punched my fists together again.

"And now...the match you've all been waiting for..." the announcer's deep voice echoed dramatically across the vaulted room, causing even higher screams and I held my breath for my opponent to finally show his face.

Then, out from the south corner's holding area, I saw an unmistakeable pair of black sunglasses accompanied by a puzzling X-shaped scar across the face of the fighter known as Raven.

"...fuck..." I cursed under my breath, watching as Raven stalked up to the arena, his completely black attire and distasteful frown on his face unsettling me to my core, making me think that he was angry that he even had to be here in the first place.

I knew this fighter was unbelievably fast, his movements often hidden one way or another, as Raven was a master of ninjitsu, and could come up with techniques to use practically on the spot in order to defeat his opponent.

I had to be careful.

I glanced to Sergei once more, knowing that in my one look over to him, he would know what I was thinking, what I was asking of him.

Sergei had his jaw locked tight, his light-colored eyes narrowed and serious and I saw clearly that he was telling me to focus, to be strong, to think confidently and without hesitation...just like how he would.

I felt my adrenaline surge once more as I bounced on my toes a few more times, my eyes trained hard onto my opponent now, as I slid into my fighting stance.

I would make Sergei proud.

I would.

Raven's expression was pulled taut and disproving, but I no longer let that bother me like how I had before...now it only made me furious.

The announcer's voice sounded again over the speakers, roaring a commanding 'begin' to Raven and myself, which had me moving forward in an instant.

I was ready to win, to claim this match as mine, and advance even further in this tournament...I was ready to take Raven down.

I reared my right fist back as I swiftly closed the distance between my silent opponent, hating how he had barely even prepared himself by assuming a proper fighting stance for our match, hating his confidence and needing to shatter it with my own.

Then, in a move too bold or too fast for my own eyes to catch completely, Raven caught my fist in an iron grasp, halting my momentum and taking me totally by surprise.

His shaded gaze fixed on me for only a second before he was moving.

Raven used his hold on my fist as he suddenly pivoted his body so that his shoulder was turned towards me and then volleyed me up and over his back, slamming me into the floor with brutal force.

My teeth rattled together for a moment while I absorbed the shock through my body of fully connecting with the ground as I had, but my instincts had me moving in the next breath to avoid Raven's leg as it came crashing down intending to flatten me.

I jumped to my feet, my fists and senses on the defensive and I blocked punch after punch from the black-clad man, my steps having to move backwards from the sheer force of them all.

Suddenly, Raven ducked down low and swiped his leg out for a lightning-fast sweep kick, succeeding in knocking my own legs out from under me as I fell back to the floor once more.

This time, I could not move away fast enough and Raven hopped on top of me, crushing me with his weight on my stomach, as he punched my cheek, making my whole face feel like it was going to explode, as I took another and then another.

The pain was excruciating, my cheekbone felt too battered and sensitive, and it was with a growl that I threw Raven off of me, scrambling to stand up in order to regain my composure as quickly as possible.

Raven had lost his footing for only a split-second upon being tossed up from me as he had, and I used that miniscule amount of time that his defenses were down to upper-cut him squarely in his jaw, my knuckles connecting firmly and accurately in just the right place below his chin to send him flying.

I watched with hopeful glee as Raven stumbled back, his teeth grit in glorious pain, but my small advantage was short-lived, as Raven recovered from the blow faster than I had anticipated.

The fighter dashed towards me at a remarkable speed before leaping high into the air, my arms automatically raising in order to prepare for the blow I knew was coming from above.

However, whence Raven's momentum started to descend, he suddenly shot out an arm, planting his hand on the top of my shoulder and somersaulted completely over me so that he landed behind me.

"_He's too fast...I can't keep up with him...!"_ the thought crackled through my mind like a sickening confession, as I only had time to turn my head towards my opponent that had somehow gotten behind me before he was on the move again.

My eyes widened and the crowd went wild as Raven spun his body around and delivered a crushing roundhouse kick to my already aching jaw, his particular angle making me spin a few times in mid-air before toppling to the ground.

My ears were ringing, my vision blurred, one of my eyes being swollen shut, and I could feel an alarming amount of blood oozing from my lips and from a cut about my right eye.

I could only just barely make out the bleary, inky image of Raven approaching me with fire in his steps, his fists clenched and ready to strike, and it was in this moment, that I turned my head towards the one person I needed to see the most.

I swallowed the mouthful of blood that had collected underneath my tongue as my fogged vision could just barely make out Sergei sitting in the same place he had been, his black hair and light-brown attire standing out the most to my faded senses, but as soon as I had laid eyes on him, he was gone.

"_No..."_ the single word was whispered in my thoughts, my heart needing Sergei more than ever in this dire moment and my whole body felt even more of the physical pain from the strikes already sustained now that I could not find him anywhere.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight, hating the sting that I felt as a result, as I knew that Raven would be right before me by now, and I tried to prepare my beaten body and mind for that one, crucial blow that might mean certain critical damage.

However, no such blow came.

Way too much time had passed; Raven would have acted by now...

I opened my eyes as best as I could to assess the situation and my mouth dropped open immediately as I beheld the image of Sergei's strong back, the Russian soldier standing in his fierce fighting stance in front of me.

Once I expanded my vision, I could clearly see Raven's form sprawled out on the ground several feet away from Sergei and me, his hand cradling his jaw from a blow that had to have come from Sergei with such speed and force that both Raven and I had completely missed it...and it did not go unnoticed by me that Raven was not getting up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what a show!" the announcer's voice pierced through my shock and haze, the viewers rioting in the chairs and tossing various drinks and snacks in every direction amongst themselves, "...Sergei Dragunov has entered the ring to deliver a devastating attack to Raven and he is down for the count!"

I struggled to my feet, my head feeling like it was going to fall right off of my shoulders, and the instant I wavered, I felt a large hand grip my elbow and steady my stance.

I laid a hand on Sergei's back, leaning heavily into him as I fought to catch my breath and deal with the bursts of pain that continued to riddle throughout my body, Sergei remaining tall and solid beside me as he slowly turned around to face me.

"Our judges have just ruled..." the fight announcer spoke to all of us as Sergei frowned sympathetically while gently bringing his gloved fingers to my chin, lifting it for me since I was too exhausted and in too much pain to do it myself, "...due to the unsanctioned entry of Sergei Dragunov in the match...Lars Alexandersson is hereby disqualified and Raven is the winner!"

The people in the crowd booed and wailed at the ruling, but all of it was still lost on me, as I struggled to keep my gaze on Sergei's pained expression as he carefully wiped away some of my blood from my chin, his crystal-colored eyes hurting for me.

My head was swimming, my vision only choosing various shapes and colors to latch onto as I desperately wanted to take in as much of Sergei's beautiful face as I could since he and I were so close together, but the moment I raised my hand to touch Sergei's fingers, I felt all of it slip away.

Like diving into black water, like collapsing through a cloud too high, I felt all of my rooted senses vanish in an instant...and everything became black and void and...nothing.

I did not feel the ground as I fell. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

_Lars' POV_

I moved my tongue around my dry mouth, trying to work up some moisture to swallow down my equally parched throat.

I slowly opened my eyes, leaving my senses to gauge what they could of my current situation, and my vision was immediately met with a bright, white glow overhead.

I squinted my eyes at such brightness, not being used to it, but caught movement to my left.

I turned my head towards the movement, my eyes clear and focusing right away on the troubled, handsome profile of my Russian lover.

He had one of his gloved hands covering his eyes, his head bowed as he looked at nothing.

He looked so worried...so distraught...over me...

"...Ser..." I had to pause to clear my throat and gather a little more volume in my cracking voice, "...Sergei...?"

My stunning lover immediately dropped his hand away from his face, his eyes wide as he looked upon me as if I had just stolen his breath away.

He laid a gentle hand on my chest and the other one grasped my closest hand, squeezing my fingers a bit as he let his eyes roam over my features, taking in my opened eyes and forming smile.

"Hi, handsome..." I breathed, loving how Sergei let out the air he had been unknowingly holding in a breathy laugh, the tension in his light-colored eyes lessening as he held my gaze.

"How long was I out? What happened? Why are you so sad? This is nothing...I'm not even in any pain...it's just..." I began to ramble anxiously, feeling as if I needed to console Sergei and see him smile that gorgeous smile at me once more.

Even though I was the one in the hospital bed, I hated seeing him like this.

Sergei frowned and removed his hands from me, obviously bothered from something I had just said, and I felt my intangible burden double in weight upon me.

I tried to sit up more to see Sergei better, but his eyes pinned me to my spot as I was, and I closed my mouth once I saw my boyfriend open his to speak.

"...it's my fault...you were removed from the tournament because of me...because of my interference..." Sergei lamented sorrowfully to me, lowering his eyes and I watched as a few more jet-black strands of hair fell to touch his cheeks.

I breathed a sighed of relief upon hearing that this was what was bothering my beloved partner.

I felt my heart warm at the thought that Sergei felt so unbearably guilty for something so trivial, already knowing that Sergei was missing the bigger picture as a result.

"Sergei...listen to me..." I began carefully, smirking affectionately at my brooding lover while I slowly sat up in bed and then reached for one of his hands.

"...how could I have done such a thing...I disgraced your match and you in front of the world, and..." Sergei continued, but I quickly shushed him by squeezing his leather-gloved hand in both of mine, giving him a bit of disciplinary pain as I caught his rapt attention.

"Sergei...just this once, shut up..." I chuckled as I spoke, loving the light shade of pink that stained the raven-haired man's milky features as he did close his mouth and allowed me to continue, "...I'm...so glad that you stepped in when you did. We both know that I was going to lose anyway...but the thing is...now listen good...I didn't care. I don't care about the tournament...it doesn't matter that I was disqualified. You did nothing wrong...in fact, I'm pretty grateful that you flattened that bastard for me."

Sergei and I both released the last of the tension revolving in the room as we laughed at my last comment, Sergei delighting and pleasing me with his lovely smile and joyful snicker that made me fall in love with him all over again.

"I love you...I could not sit by and watch you get hurt," Sergei admitted sagely, and I lowered my eyes as my smile grew even greater across my lips.

"I know...thank you," I murmured, leaning into his touch once I felt the Russian slide his fingers and palm across my cheek, Dragunov mindfully lifting my head back up and gently pressing his lips to mine.

I accepted his kiss as if my life depending upon it, immediately reaching to seize the front of his jacket in my hands, my actions hurried and rough while his remained slow and measured.

Our single kiss ended contently and he and I both rested our foreheads against one another, just taking a moment to be silent and reflective...and appreciative.

I was grateful that the match had ended whence it had, because I may have not been able to wake up to see Sergei sitting by my bedside if it had continued.

I knew this.

Sergei knew this.

So, we held onto each other for another moment, simply loving that we were able to do so at all.

Just then, a soft knock sounded on the door the to room, prompting Sergei to lean away from me with lingering movements.

"Hello. How are we feeling, Mister Alexandersson?" a cheery, young nurse dressed in teal-colored scrubs strolled into our room, a clipboard in one hand as she approached the other side of my bed to check on me.

"...better now," I responded, glancing over at Sergei and catching his sexy side-smirk at my answer that had been meant for him.

The nurse, whose name oddly enough turned out to be Joy, took my blood pressure, changed a few of my bandages, and offered additional ice for my cheek which was still a little swollen to which I respectfully declined.

She advised limited exertion for about six weeks, pain medication when needed, and bed-rest for the next few days.

Nothing was broken or too far compromised and Joy instructed that I could leave the hospital once I completed my paperwork.

Sergei nodded to the smiling nurse once she had finished going over some details regarding the paperwork with the two of us, before the young lady exited the room and closed the door behind her.

"Bed-rest, huh...sounds exciting..." I could not help but complain just a little about my current situation, Sergei sitting back down next to me, just watching over me and obviously digressing from everything that had happened to bring us to this point.

I was relieved that I was not in a more serious condition, knowing from experience that with some of these tournament matches, ending up in the hospital meant that you had had it easy.

Far too many of my peers over the years had ended up worse.

Again, I could not even handle the idea of something more dire and permanent happening to either Sergei or myself because of these lives we have chosen to lead.

Now that we had each other...I would do whatever was in my power to preserve it above anything else.

"So...what do we do now...?" I asked the silent Russian officer next to me, half-way meaning my words a bit charismatically and the other half of me was completely serious.

What were we going to do now?

How do we move forward?

Sergei lowered his crystal-blue eyes, his luscious, scarred lips pursing in deep thought, and I held onto this quiet moment, feeling it suspended between us as I waited eagerly for his answer, knowing that I would go along with whatever he said next.

I would.

Sergei inhaled through his nose and opened his eyes, a solid idea having come to him and I could practically feel my curiosity soar, as I peered into his steady, translucent gaze, feeling my heart flutter wildly inside my chest once I saw his lips curve into a knowing smirk.

He had our answer.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Sergei's POV_

Six months later...

"Dinner was excellent..." Lars spoke from behind me, his hands massaging small circles against my back while I washed the last of the dishes in the sink, my blonde-haired lover knowing that I absolutely adored it when he tended to my oftentimes stiff muscles like this.

"Not bad..." I agreed a bit cheekily with a smirk of my own, leaning more into his strong touches that wrung out any residual soreness left within me before I turned around in my place so I may see his lovely face and wild blue eyes I had come to favor so much.

The shorter, Swedish-born male rested one of his thighs against mine as he leaned in closer, his hands toying with the bottom hem of my loosened white dress shirt.

Generally silent by nature, I peered solemnly down as his unruly, golden locks of hair and youthful features as Lars trailed his eyes up from his hands to meet my gaze, his darker, richer shade of azure getting lost in my much lighter one.

"I know a way to make it better," Lars retorted smartly, his voice kept deep and sultry as there was absolutely no jest in his words, and I could only watch as he stood on his toes so he could reach my height more easily, his fingers sliding over my arms.

Currently, Lars and I were visiting my homeland Russia, waiting for the last of hype of the King of Iron Fist Tournament to die down before returning to the States.

After Lars had been released from the hospital, we had set out to Moscow; Alexandersson being more than anxious to see the country I hailed from and to experience a vastly different place than what he was used to.

I had to admit that I had been excited to see his reactions as well.

We had had to keep under the radar with the Russian military, as they would be, no doubt, wanting me to come in and report on my findings with the Tournament and about one Jin Kazama.

I was technically M.I.A, after all, having disobeyed several of my direct orders during all that time and then leaving without a word to any of my superiors in Spetsnaz.

But, none of that mattered...

Not anymore.

I brought a hand to Lars' chin and gently grasped him in between my thumb and forefinger, bringing him up the rest of the way until our lips could meet in a peaceful, pleasant kiss, our eyes slowly sliding closed as we touched and lightly tasted the other.

Lars Alexandersson was my saving grace and my ultimate undoing in the most extraordinary of ways.

For him, I had disregarded my mission and my place in the military.

For him, I had given up my chance in the King of the Iron First Tournament.

For him, I had come back to the one place where I might end up a wanted man.

And I would do it all over again.

No question.

His lips moved serenely with mine, Lars' fingers trailing over my shoulders until he could squeeze me hard in his hold, needing to keep me close to him as if I would ever object.

He was the purest thing I had ever come across in my whole, violent lifetime, and I would be damned if I would let it slip away from me now.

I gingerly pulled my lips away from his, opening my eyes first so I may still see his closed eyes and parted lips held so near my own, and I smiled at the precious sight.

"Tovaras..." I whispered to my lover, using a term from my native language that meant that he was a dear friend, a treasured person, my equal, a term that I had grown to calling him more and more frequently, "...let me take you to bed."

Lars visibly shivered from my words, his grip tightening on my shoulders as he cracked open his gorgeous eyes, keeping his gaze locked onto my lips while he replied.

"...I don't think I can wait that long, Sergei," he crooned back to me, causing me to smirk in delight at his antics that never failed to please me thoroughly whenever he and I got caught up in our playful banter and wit towards one another.

Lars licked my lips in a suggestive upward swipe before crushing our mouths together, more heat, more pressure behind this kiss and I felt the blood in my veins suddenly spark with dizzying vigor as I wrapped my heavy arms around his smaller frame.

My Swedish lover purred against my scarred mouth, his nails lightly digging into my skin, Lars knowing that I could handle whatever pain he wanted to inflict on me during our lovemaking, as our lips parted and tongues met in a dazzling collision that left me feeling lightheaded.

His energy was so beautiful, this remarkable need for him to kiss me as if his life depended upon it, for his hands never ceased in seeking me out, needing to know I was there with him...it was all so...mesmerizing.

Something truly astonishing.

A miracle I never thought I would know.

Sometimes, I still wondered what I had ever done to deserve such a happiness...each time Lars and I kissed like this, each man telling the other just how deeply they cared for the other.

It had taken me a while to get used to so much affection being shown to me, but Lars had been infinitely patient with me, taking our relationship and all the time we had been spending together at entirely my pace...

And I could not have been any more grateful.

I grabbed Lars' ass in my hands and hoisted him up off the floor and into my arms, the blonde chuckling gleefully against my lips as he quickly wrapped his legs around my waist and carded his fingers through my hair.

I spun us around and sat him on top of the counter I had just been leaning back on, placing my hands on his parted thighs and sucking on his tongue as Lars deftly unfastened all of the tiny buttons adorning the front of my shirt.

I shrugged off the garment easily, humming in pleasure as I felt Lars immediately trail his fingers all over my chest and abdomen, teasing my flesh and with barely-there touches and then needy squeezes of his hands along my muscles.

I curled my fingers around a fistful of his soft hair at the back of his neck and pulled his head back, slamming my lips down upon his own, providing him with a bit of punishment for his tempting ministrations that had Lars smiling against my mouth.

With one hand, I tore open the front of his pants, easily undoing the single button and making the zipper come undone as I shoved my hand inside and grasped his erect cock, already stroking him to his full girth.

"..h-ha...ohh..." Lars stuttered helplessly as he spread his legs even wider to allow me more room to work as I squeezed the enflamed head of his member, smearing the pre-come that had collected there with my thumb before sliding my hand lower down on his shaft.

"Mmm...God yes..." my personal angel and savior smiled at me with stunning, half-lidded eyes, his expression the same of a man unequivocally intoxicated or in love, and I cherished each time I got to see it when Lars tipped his head back and whispered his pleasure for no one else to hear but me.

I quickly sank down to my knees and directed my lover's dripping cock to my mouth, dragging my tongue heavily across the top before gently using my teeth to inflict the tiniest amount of pain, making Alexandersson squirm where he sat on the kitchen counter.

Huffing a small smile at his actions, I closed my lips around his hardened flesh, knowing exactly what to do to render Lars into a shivering, pleading mess for me to ravage, as I swallowed his length hard and fast.

"Ha...! Oh...shit...Sergei...mmf..." Lars moaned out loud, his body bending as I kissed my way back up his cock, massaging him with my tongue before slipping the whole thing back in between my lips.

I purred suggestively, flicking my ice-blue gaze back up to his while I worked, catching how much sweet love as well as filthy, raw desire there was behind those darkened eyes of his as he snaked a hand down the front of his own body so he may take hold of the base, lightly pumping in his fist what I was not fitting inside my mouth, his hand moving perfectly with my lips.

"...feels good...ahh...feels so good, baby..." Lars groaned out the strained words to me, his toes curling as his hand moved faster and I could see that my lover was getting so close to reaching his climax.

I increased my suction as well as my speed in which I raised and lowered my warm mouth over his throbbing cock, feeling it swell against my tongue a few times as I brought my hands to either of his legs and began tugging off his loosened pants.

"Oh...Sergei...yes...please...please more...I need more, baby..." the Swede begged shamelessly, pleasing me to no end that I could bring him so effortlessly so such a haplessly needy state.

I yanked Lars' pants from his legs and no sooner had I done so did Lars suddenly reach his hands forward to sift through my hair and guide my actions of bobbing my head up and down his length, every one of my cells positively fine-tuned to listening to his rapid breathing, to the subtle trembling behind his own movements, to the way I could almost feel his body overheating with the need to come.

Letting his bare legs drape over either of my shoulders, I rose up slightly from my kneeling position, making Lars tip back ever-so slightly as I swallowed his cock down my throat.

"Haa...o-oh...baby...S-Sergei...oh yes, right fucking now...I'm coming right now..." Lars moaned in a lovely crescendo of his accented voice that had my own trapped cock pulsating in between my legs as I felt his body twitch with each spurt of his creamy essence that rushed into my mouth and coated over my tongue.

I massaged his ass in my hands, truly treasuring the way my lover's hands shook as he gently pulled his hands through my long black tresses, each breath he took becoming more uneven than the last as my keen eyes could still see that staggering, untapped lust behind those angelic features of his.

My eyes never leaving his, I swallowed down the last of his come before releasing his still-erect cock from my my mouth, a few drops of his completion sliding down my chin as I briefly licked my lips.

"Holy shit, Sergei..." Lars' voice was lower than usual as he breathed his words to me, "...you're so goddamn sexy, you have no idea..."

Lars smiled and I rolled my eyes, smirking as well.

"Come here..." he growled at once, caused me to raise my eyebrows and then comply the next instant, leaning my larger frame over his and letting him capture my lips in a fiercely impassioned kiss, one that made my heart and soul melt against him and burst into flames all at the same time.

His sinfully talented tongue twisted with mine, Lars tasting his own come on my lips, as he stroked our tongues together over and over again as I simply had to free my hands from his body so I could release my own aching cock from my trousers, giving myself a few good pumps to take the edge off.

"Nng..." I groaned low in my throat, the sound reverberating through the both of us, before Lars pulled his lips away from mine so he may start placing candy-sweet kisses down my jaw and throat, sucking and biting where he pleased.

"Give it to me, Sergei..." Lars commanded huskily of me, his hand sneaking in between our bodies so he may swat my fingers away and grasp my straining member in a commanding grip, "...I want this inside me."

My eyes closed and my lips fell open for only a small yet infinite moment as I relished in the way my lover palmed my cock the way that he was, Lars making the wide head of my length rub at his entrance, spreading my pre-come against his sensitive flesh that had the both of us hissing at the contact.

Then, my eyes opened and I suddenly pulled Lars down from the counter, hastily spinning him around and pushing him forward, bending his strong body over the smooth surface he had just been sitting on only a moment before.

"Mmh...fuck yes...I love it when you're like this..." the Swede purred excitedly as he stretched his body while I descended down again, guiding my actions with my hands slowly trailing down his sides and thighs until I could find purchase on his firmly muscled ass once more.

Lars gripped the edge of the counter top hard as I drove my tongue inside his entrance, not missing the way his swollen cock bobbed between his legs with crying need that he vocalized loudly from up above me.

"Haa...Jesus...I can...I can hardly take this, Sergei...so goddamn good...please...I need you so bad..." Lars rambled adorably, his mind becoming lost in the haze of so much sharply honed want that meshed together within us both to that delicious point where I did not know where one ended and the other began.

All I knew is that I absolutely loved to hear my beloved fighter beg for me this way...

I swirled my tongue against his moistened entrance, before shoving a single finger inside of him, smoothly getting to my feet despite being a little out of breath from so much prolonged pleasure befalling me at this moment, so much maddening temptation right in front of my eyes and yet I still forced myself to be easy with him.

He and I both knew that I would never try to hurt him, no matter what circumstances, no matter how much he begged for me to be rougher with him.

I would rather die than hurt him.

"Ohh...S-Sergei...lotion..." Lars panted heavily, his body trembling hard against my chest as I worked my single finger in and out of his tight but sopping wet entrance, each one of my senses intricately tuned into any piece of information he could offer me in this moment as I heard him struggle with his voice so he may clearly continue, "...there's...there's...lotion in the living room...haa..."

I rammed my finger back inside of him, reaching deep and causing him to moan out loud again as I brought my lips to his ear before speaking.

"Do...not...move...tovaras...da?" I spoke to my quivering lover, my naturally low baritone sounding even more so in a whisper to him that had him biting that plump bottom lip of his and squeezing his eyes shut.

"I won't...I promise...just hurry!" his voice was frantic in pace, desperate in nature and I chuckled mercilessly as I twisted my finger and then pulled it out of him, quickly stepping away from his delectable body to retrieve the bottle of lotion he had advised was in the next room.

The living room was dark and unlit but I was able to see the tall, white bottle of lotion that we kept there on a side table, fluidly snatching the object and turning back towards the kitchen where my lover was waiting for me.

Lars was still in the same position I had left him, his hands flat on top of the kitchen counter, his legs spread and his half-lidded eyes turned towards me as I padded back to his side.

"Good boy..." I smiled at his obedience of my orders of not moving, sliding a hand up one of his arms and tugging a bit at the top of his shirt, letting him know that I wanted it off.

The blonde-haired male complied easily, lifting his hands up from the counter so he could shed his last bit of clothing, but only to bend over the surface again and offer himself up so willingly to me that it made my painfully hard cock drip with another bead of clear pre-come.

"Mmh...I like being your good boy...now come and fuck me already, you bastard..." Lars spoke cheekily with a daring smile over his shoulder at me, causing my smirk to increase as well and I could not help but toy with him further.

"...oh? Such impatience...tsk tsk," I mock-reprimanded him with a light slap to his ass, earning a pleased groan from my young lover as he rolled his head to one side.

"Ooh...again, baby...please," Lars' voice was barely audible when he spoke, but I cut him off just the same.

"Hush, child. You still show no respect," I critiqued with another slap to the same cheek, granting Lars what he wished and receiving an even louder moan as Lars unconsciously spread his legs even further as invitation whilst he did so.

"...f-forgive me..." Lars stuttered as he spoke, and I rubbed the pink marks on his rear in silent apology as I poured some of the lotion down the crack of his ass, making his whole body suddenly tense up and then gradually relax along with the cooling sensations.

"All is forgiven, my love...now relax..." I crooned to him with a delighted smirk, freeing a hand and bringing it to the base of my cock as I used my own member to spread the lotion around his puckered entrance, dipping inside just barely while I continued to tease Alexandersson with so many promises of surrealistic pleasure.

"Mmh...ha..." Lars tried to breathe evenly as I played with his ass , never really giving him enough euphoria to get lost in as I only hinted at what I wanted to do, before I finally pushed more of my member inside of him.

"Ohh..." I groaned as my head tilted lazily to a side, a few strands of my black mane falling in front of my eyes as I watched as Lars arched his back and tried to push more of his ass and lower back against me, trying to make more of my length slip inside his channel and grant him what he wanted.

"Still impatient, I see..." I resorted back to our little game, before placing either of my hands on his hips and then slamming the rest of my heavy cock inside of him, making him scream as he arched clear off of the counter top and into my embrace, "...so am I."

His fingertips only grazed the counter now as I quickly wrapped an arm around his stomach, the other around his chest, as I immediately took to pounding my length far into his ass, my pace unrelenting and unforgiving...just like I knew he wanted it to be.

His naked body flexed against my own, the built muscles of his back massaging my bare chest as my hips dug into his ass, making his legs shake with each powerful thrust and drive of my cock, and I could practically taste the way he was saying my name over and over again like it was the only word that he knew.

"Haah...f-fuck...S-Serg...Sergei...ha!" my beautiful lover exclaimed before throwing his arms back and tangling his hands in my hair, his grip tight and possessive and thrilling to experience, as I watched from my height above him as his expressions morphed from too much pleasure that he did not know how to handle.

Reacting to his little push on the back of my neck, I hunched over my taller stature so I could reach his pleading lips pointed up to me, kissing him softly even though our bodies never stopped grinding, never stopped ruthlessly chasing after the most exquisite of ecstasy with one another.

"Oh fucking hell, Sergei..." Lars whined loudly, his eyes screwing together tight, as his hand gripped tighter in my hair, his other hand sliding down my arm and joining my own fingers as I stroked his cock at a rapid speed.

Lars cried out upon having the both of us please and tend to his body as we were, both my hands trailing down either of his sides as I slipped them in between his legs, massaging his balls and letting my fingertips feel where we were joined as my cock continued to plunge in and out of him from behind.

"Ugh...haa...so close...Sergei...fuck...oh my God...I can't...ahh...!" Lars moaned wantonly, his body seamlessly rutting along with my own as he pressed more of his cock into my hands as I continued to pump him against my palm, loving the weight of him, the smoothness of his flesh...always.

Locking my jaw tight, I suddenly willed myself to pull my drenched, begging member completely out of my writhing lover, one of my hands already snaking around his torso and hefting him up from the floor.

"Ha! W-wait..." Lars breathed shakily as he trembled in my bracing arms as I walked a few, quick steps to the end of the kitchen and promptly tossed him on top of the long, wooden dining room table.

Barely waiting for him to get situated, I was already on top of my young lover, spreading his legs and hiking them up high, forcing my way closer to him and watching the way his blissfully hazed expression smiled widely at me; Lars obviously loving it when I did allow myself to get a little demanding with him during sex.

His spectacular body stretched out across the dark-colored wood, Lars absolutely letting my manipulate his legs and lower body in whatever way I pleased as I wasted no more time in shoving my erect length deep inside him once more.

The both of us moaned and I could not help but dip my head down low, feeling my lover's hands steadily brush my hair out of my face and press kiss after kiss to my brow, forehead, and lips as I immediately began slamming the head of my cock against his sensitive prostate, able to feel it before he did when he would tense from the pressure and then voice his rapture as it unraveled before my eyes.

Our breath mixed sensuously between our close forms, our eyes drifting towards each other as Lars kept his hands on either side of my face, holding me close to him as he peered behind everything I was and saw something I did not even know was there.

Our lips came together in a smoldering embrace, a kiss that told me that Lars wanted every last piece of me for himself, the good with the bad, he wanted it all...and I could have all of him in return.

"Lars...mmn...I love you so much...you're everything to me, sweetheart..." I whispered the words to him as I finally felt my very soul reach its limit and I came inside his hot, pulsating entrance, letting the rippled texture of his insides milk every last drop of my essence from me in the most mind-breaking of ways.

I felt enriched as a man, rejuvenated as a human being, each time I was able to reach that insurmountable apex with the person I loved most in this world, feeling every one of my muscles release all traces of tension and my mind soar far into the clouds and beyond.

My sweet, precious Lars...

"Ohh...baby...God...love you, Sergei...I love...haa!" Lars managed to say before his hands suddenly flew to my naked back and squeezed hard and I could feel his stomach press against mine as he arched his body and came in between us, his warm come splashing across both of our chests.

Our bodies remained connected with his legs wrapped around me for a weighted moment, a wonderful moment in time where he and I could catch our breath and slowly welcome back the world to be acknowledged...but only when we were ready.

Our foreheads came together, my eyes were closed and feeling heavy with the need for rest, as I hummed in content as Lars gathered my locks of midnight-colored hair and pushed them away from my face once again.

I smiled a bit breathlessly from the gesture and opened my eyes to seek his out, knowing that he would be waiting for me.

He would always wait for me.

I knew that now.

_Author's Note:_ Alright, no one have a heart attack. I am wrapping up this story if it's the last thing I do, dammit. We are due for the FINAL CHAPTER and then it's all over, folks. Whew!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Lars' POV_

Two weeks later...

"I'll be right back, my love. I promise...it's just down the street there," Sergei spoke with a smirk to me as I continued to hug his larger, powerful form to my own, gathering a deep breath within my chest in order to let him go as I knew I was being a bit childish right now.

"I know...alright. Just hurry back, okay? We need that cooking oil if we want to have that one dinner tonight...and I really do," I reminded my lover as I eased my tight embrace and took a step back, fixing him with a knowing expression which told him I was being only half-serious with him.

Sergei smiled at me before ducking down his head and placing a quick kiss to my lips, my own mouth eager to feel his as I returned his parting gesture in kind.

"You worry too much, tovaras. You can go ahead and start with everything; I will be back soon," Sergei finalized as his fingers made a deft adjustment to one of his dark-brown leather gloves before he swiftly exited the apartment and closed the door behind him.

I heaved out the rest of the air I had had trapped inside my lungs, still hating it when he and I ran separate errands as we always had to wait on the other male to arrive.

I could only hope that nothing happened when we were parted, and not knowing for certain during such a tense time always seemed to set me on edge.

"Ugh, just relax...he said he'd be right back. It is just that tiny market he's going to...I've been there a hundred times...it doesn't take long," I told myself out loud as I navigated back further inside the apartment, mentally agreeing to Dragunov's idea about starting the preparations for our dinner tonight while I waited on him to arrive.

I needed something to do to keep myself busy in the meantime.

I told myself the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach was simple longing and nothing more.

I could not have been more wrong.

X

_Third Person POV_

Five hours later...

"Sir, why doesn't he talk...sir?" a gruff-looking, uniformed soldier asked his superior, an older man smoking a rotund cigar as the two of them continued to peer over at a bound, seated figure at the opposite side of the facility, "...we break his fingers, yet he does nothing. He almost looks...bored, sir."

At this, the older, bearded male huffed a smokey chortle as he and his younger subordinate walked over to stand before their captive.

"Nonsense, my boy..." the higher ranking officer spoke around his cigar before raising a white gloved hand and removing it from his meaty lips, "...you just have to break them slowly, let him really feel his bones snapping in half. Then he will sing for us, you see!"

Half-lidded, ice blue eyes peered up disinterestedly up at the two conversing officers clad in their green and red-decorated uniforms and tall black boots, Sergei Dragunov blinking exasperatedly slowly at them both, clearly annoyed with them and tired of the situation.

Sergei had gone to that market whence he had left his and Lars' apartment and entered onto the crowded city streets earlier that day.

He had walked down the road towards the fresh produce stands from which he knew he and his lover would need some items for later.

But it had been only after his next few steps on that chilled concrete that he had spotted them.

They were easily distinguishable from the rest of the normal people all shifting this way and that as they hustled from one stand within the market to the next to continue making purchases.

Those men might as well have been standing still as Dragunov had spotted them straight away, noticing the way the black-dressed men were noticing him too intently, going against the grain of the normal flow of the pedestrians.

Suddenly, a larger crowd of merchants and customers had enveloped the area he had been in, and before he had had time to react, a hand had grabbed Dragunov's arm and a body had pressed up against his side so that no one else would hear them speak to one another.

"Kak dela, Sergei Dragunov...come with us now and none of these good people need to pay the price for you being in their market at the wrong time...da, comrade?" a gravelly voice had growled out in a sickeningly low tone and Sergei could instantly hear that the person was military, not Spetsnaz like he was, but definitely of high military status.

Sergei's jaw had clenched as he spared one moment to look around the smiling faces of his fellow countrymen and women, innocent people just trying to live their lives without incident.

The stoic, Russian fighter had turned towards his aged but powerful proposer and nodded his consent to the terms.

That had been several hours ago, several hours of goons in too-pressed uniforms yelling in his face for him to start talking about his reason for competing in the King of Iron Fist Tournament and why he had left.

It had been hours of them not letting him have anything to eat, nothing to drink...and they have already broken three of his fingers.

Sergei had not uttered a sound.

The bound Russian continued to stare lazily at their hardened expressions, not caring in the least for the way the older man's smoke wafted into his face, as the younger of the two singled out another one of his fingers from the rest and began to slowly bend it at an awful angle.

Sergei quietly inhaled an amount of air from his nostrils, holding it...waiting...waiting and never breaking eye contact.

…_c...crack!_

Dragunov blinked his eyes again and he steadily released the air he had been holding, taking a moment to lick the roof of his mouth, a frown still on his face and no noise having yet escaped him.

"Very good, comrade..." the more decorated officer spoke to Sergei this time as he plucked his cigar from his teeth again, "...you have been trained well...not even allowed to voice when you are in pain...I like it...but how do you think, hm...he will take such treatment? He is not Russian like you, tovaras...he is not trained like you, da? Bring him out!"

Sergei looked towards the opposite corner of the darkened facility that the old man had shouted the last of his speech, Dragunov's eyes widened at once as he saw a struggling form in the middle of three men wrangling him into view.

"Let me go! Get the fuck off of me! Argh!" Lars Alexandersson was preoccupied with snarling curses at his stone-faced handlers as they dragged him into the dim light, before the Swedish male whipped his attention to the lone, seated figure.

"Sergei! Oh Jesus Christ...Sergei...what...I looked for you everywhere...are you alright? Tell me you're alright?!" Lars called towards his dark-haired lover, his tanned face tightening with anger and worry as Lars looked over Sergei's bruised cheeks, opened, tattered white shirt, and broken fingers currently resting on the arms of the chair.

"Shut him up now, damnit!" the commanding officer of the group hollered towards the men holding a fighting Lars, his voice booming in the otherwise empty facility and prompting one of the men to swiftly move to the front of Alexandersson and strike him squarely in his ribs.

Lars grit his teeth and could not help but choke on his spit as his body wanted to curl protectively around the source of pain, but the other two soldiers currently holding his arms far out at his sides made that impossible for the young man.

"Ha ha ha!" the old man laughed before spinning back around to Sergei, pleased to see such emotion becoming his usually unreadable face, "...so you see, my friend...we will start breaking his fingers, then his knees...then his arms...until you finally start cooperating with us and telling us what we want to know."

_Thwack!_

Sergei's jaw ticked as he watched as one of the other guards holding Lars swiftly punched his face to a side, Lars being wholly unable to defend himself as three men were overpowering his smaller stature with some effort but still succeeding nonetheless.

"Fuck you, you piece of shit...is that all you got?" Lars spat furiously at the man who had hit him, spitting a pink mixture of spit and blood onto the dirty ground at the others' feet as he tried to yank his arms free once more.

_Bam!_

Sergei's whole body shook.

His eyes were wide.

Lars has his blonde head thrown backwards, his eyes squeezed tight in agony as another soldier had kicked him solidly in his chin, making even the other guards currently restraining the Swede have to brace for that impact.

Dragunov had seen all of it as if it had been happening in slow motion.

He could feel his systems slowing down...slowing...slowing...

Sergei closed his eyes, as if making peace with something inside himself, as if finding some kind of odd, unexplainable calm in the midst of so much madness.

All of this was happening just because he would not tell this separatist sect of the military that he had participated in the tournament in order to capture Jin Kazama.

All of this was happening because he had let his guard down...

This was his fault...

"Ha ha! Break his fucking neck!" someone yelled.

Sergei's glowing eyes snapped open as the Russian immediately pooled all of his strength into his massive arms to burst through the thick ropes that bound his legs and arms to the wooden chair.

With a terrifying yell, one of pure, war-demanding hell, the veins pumped furiously against Dragunov's bulging muscles as the woven rope around him suddenly shredded to pieces as he quickly stood up from the shattered chair.

His white teeth grit and bared and his eyes menacing like a starving predator going after his helpless prey, Sergei immediately ran hard towards the soldiers currently holding Lars, his breathing already ragged and uncontrolled.

Demonstrating god-like strength and a mind unthinking, Sergei clutched one man's head in his large palm, gripping hard as he tore him away from Lars and punching him firmly in his chest, sending the weaker male flying backward with blood already oozing from a corner of his mouth.

White-blue eyes shifted sharply to another victim, Sergei's actions too fast, too ruthless to be calculated efficiently, as the Russian fighter was already wrapping his hands around another officer's neck and slamming his face into his rising knee, making a thick crunch noise of the man's nose and cheekbones being crushed to be heard by all.

Sergei let him drop, not even looking at a stunned Lars yet before sprinting towards another direction where there were more guards to be dealt with.

He needed to keep moving, to keep destroying limbs and faces and lives until the floor ran red with all of his enemies' blood...he needed to...

"It's...it's the White Angel of Death!"

"He has come for us!"

"The White Angel...!"

"What are you waiting for?! Shoot him! Shoot now! Before we're all killed!"

Sergei Dragunov was already finishing a flurry of devastating attacks on a few more men, his movements feral, raw and untamed as he tore through their ranks with unforeseen speed and unrelenting attacks.

He would kick, punch, elbow, pivot sides, knee, grapple down, and kick again...never slowing down and never losing strength.

Then, a gunshot rang out, a contained but petrifying boom that echoed across the spaces...but Sergei did not stop running, did not stop hunting for more people as he located the shooter and sped to face him.

"Shit! Shit!" the officer panicked as he aimed his firearm again at the Russian terror, his hand shaking before he fired off another round, able to see as bright red began coating Sergei's right shoulder as a result of the shot and also how it did not deter the attacker in the least.

Sergei growled at the shooter, enraged by the pain, spurned on by his own blood now running down his bare arm and soaking his palm, as he curled his fists and slammed them repeatedly into the young man's face, the Russian fighter's frame and power easily overtaking the latter in a brutal tackle.

"S-Sergei...! Sergei stop! Stop!" called a gentle but afraid voice called out through the darkness, cutting straight through the thick haze of Dragunov's senses as he had to shake his head to snap out of it, only then realizing that he was on his knees, a bloodied mess of a person sprawled out on the ground underneath his red-painted hands.

The officer below him was dead, several other men around the facility were no better...the smell of blood in the air was stifling, and Sergei could hear the muffling cries of the soldiers that were still left alive.

Lars rushed to his lover's side at once, pushing aside his own trepidations about being so close to Sergei Dragunov after he had just witnessed such a frightening display of insane violence, as he steeled his nerves and laid his hands comfortingly along Sergei's dropped shoulders.

Sergei was breathing hard as he submissively let his beloved Lars pull him up from the ground, the blonde-haired man turning the taller Russian towards him.

Sergei was silent, his features relaxed and exhausted, as now only he and Lars stood in the facility and gazed soulfully upon each other.

"Baby..." Lars breathed, taking in the sight of his lover's pale flesh spattered with brilliant ruby that stained his whole right arm in cascading streaks, before the Swedish-born male brought his hands to Sergei's hands.

"Oh Jesus, Sergei!" Lars exclaimed, bringing up Sergei's hands up to eye level and seeing the few fingers of his that were jutting out at unnatural angles, signaling the cruel breaks of the bones, "...your hands...!"

Sergei frowned and blinked his light-blue eyes at Lars' hands holding onto his own, cradling them, his lover's darker azure gaze finding his once more.

"I'm sorry..." Sergei apologized sorrowfully, peering at his lover's swollen cheek and busted lip with pain in his own expression as he lifted one of his injured hands to tenderly brush the backs of his fingers over Lars' wounds, the Russian regretting his carelessness and the price Lars had had to pay for it.

Lars swallowed hard and retrieved Sergei's hand inside his own once more, knowing that Sergei was currently not paying his own more severe injuries that much mind as he had performed such a gesture automatically and without remembering that his hands were in such a bad state.

Tears slipped free from Lars' sapphire eyes as he shook his head from side to side a few times.

"Sergei, there's...there's nothing to apologize for...I'm just glad you're okay...baby, we need to get you to a doctor," the Swede's usually pleasant voice was breaking with the weight of his fluctuating emotions, Lars being wholly thankful for this lover's overall safety, worried over the wounds he had nonetheless sustained, as well as just honestly beside himself that he had watched Dragunov lose his mind the way that he had on his captors.

The raven-haired male had transformed, turning into a completely different animal than what Lars had ever seen before, as his Russian lover had abandoned all care for human life as he had moved from person to person with malice in his lovely eyes before critically maiming each one of them.

And Sergei had done all of it for Lars.

The blonde male understood that Sergei had only made such a dramatic switch only whence he had witnessed those men delivering steadfast blows to his otherwise defenseless body.

That was when he had snapped...it was to protect _him_.

Right after the last strike had come from that officer, right before Lars had had to shut his eyes to deal with the pain of that kick, he had seen Sergei's entire demeanor change into something different, something...livid that had reached the surface and exploded.

And watching what had ensued from the taller male had...astounded the Swedish man...because he had never seen someone become so beautifully terrifying before, so in-tune with the flow of battle and destruction that it had mystified him in an instant.

Lars had felt intrigued...just like the first time he had ever seen Sergei Dragunov fight in the tournament, only this time, Sergei had been fighting to protect them both and it had been personal.

"No...I..." Sergei continued with hurt in his naturally low baritone voice to his beloved, "...I'm sorry...that you saw me like that. I never wanted you to see...I never meant to frighten you."

Lars' already fluttering heart broke apart upon hearing such words from his handsome lover, the one person who had saved his life a few times now to date from his quick reactions...just like how he had today.

Off in a corner of the room, another fallen soldier choked on more of his blood as he turned over to lie on his side.

Lars knew immediately just what he needed to explain to his remorseful savior.

"No...you hear me? Don't say...Sergei, listen to me..." Lars forced his voice to cooperate as he threw his arms around Dragunov's neck, forgetting about his boyfriend's wounded shoulder as he could not help but squeeze Sergei tight in his embrace, burying his face against his exposed collarbone, "...I'm grateful for what you did. Those men were about to kill you...and then me. I wouldn't be standing here if you hadn't acted...do you understand what I'm trying to say? I'm glad...grateful..."

Sergei lowered his gaze and loosely wrapped his aching, bleeding arms around his lover's lithe frame, finally feeling his world relax back into a peaceful state once again as he and Lars simply held each other, needing the solace the other provided and nothing more.

"...I could not handle what they were doing to you, my love..." Sergei continued to confess quietly, his voice no longer carrying that awful burden as he simply purred the soothing words down to his lover, turning his face into the silken spikes of blonde hair jutting out, "...I had to do something, and I just lost control."

"I know, baby...I know...thank you..." Lars replied just as somberly, just as sweetly, as he pressed a slow kiss to Sergei's neck before pulling his head back to he may look upon his handsome but dirtied features once more before continuing, "...let's get you cleaned up...and we really should have a doctor take a look at your arm."

Lars' eyes followed the flow of blood that ran from the deep cut that the bullet had made across the curve of Sergei's shoulder which trailed all the way down to his fingertips and dripped to the floor.

Dragunov tiredly nodded his consent before tilting his head slightly to one side as he considered the smaller male for another second.

"...after...I think it's time we head back...da?" Sergei posed the question as Lars slung his uninjured arm over his shoulders so he could help him while they walked out of the grim facility.

Lars hesitated for only an instant when he had heard Sergei's words to him, but he knew exactly what he had meant.

America.

He was talking about them uprooting from Russia and going back to America after all this time.

They might be sought after by tournament officials there...and both knew that.

But, after having this happen, they both knew that they were ready to handle it; they were ready to face whatever pressures awaited them as it had become too dangerous to stay in Russia after all.

Other military operations were on the move; they wanted to know about the King of the Iron First Tournament, and more importantly, they wanted their hands on Sergei Dragunov.

This proved that neither of them were safe here anymore.

Lars took a steadying breath before replying, his mind made and his ambitions clear.

"...after we get you to a hospital...yes...we will go back, " Alexandersson affirmed with a nod of his head as he and his most beloved person stepped away from the facility together, having exited peacefully arm-in-arm from the large doorway, and were now navigating a path off of main roads back towards their side of town, "...it's a good time for us to go back to the States, I think."

"Lars..." Sergei stopped walking and turned towards his boyfriend and most precious in the world beside him, his half-lidded sky-blue eyes trained on the smaller male's angelic features so close to his own, "...I'm glad we came to Russia. I'm glad I got to show you my country. I've never been so happy before in my life...and I have you to thank for that. Only you. I would have never felt this way if not for you."

Lars smiled as more crystal-clear tears slid down his cheeks and instantly cooled in the chilly nighttime air, always cherishing Sergei's words as the Russian male never wasted a one when he spoke to him.

"I'm glad, too...I loved seeing the place that you came from..." Lars replied with a heavy heart before sniffing back another tear and then speaking with much more resolve in his voice to his lover, "...and this is not over – our traveling. We'll go wherever we want, we'll take turns picking spots for us to live for a while...anything just so we can keep being together. This...this did not scare me off in the least bit, Sergei...those fucking bastards...we'll keep going. Isn't that what you've taught me? Never give up?"

Sergei blinked as if in a daze and smiled a gorgeous smile at Lars, his very soul warm within his bones and flourishing at his beloved's steadfast response.

"...da," Dragunov replied simply, agreeing wholeheartedly to everything Lars had said and what it made him remember about their time together up until this point; about how much they loved each other truly.

Lars squeezed Sergei a little tighter in his hold, loving him, treasuring him; able to recall several times in their past when Sergei had told Lars those exact words he had just now echoed to him now.

"Da," Lars confirmed just as simply, smiling.

X


End file.
